


Tear it all Away

by Eriador117



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Angels, Chan, Crossdressing, Crossover, Demons, Historical, M/M, Murder, Religious Imagery, Torture, secret agents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-30
Updated: 2015-09-28
Packaged: 2018-01-06 18:18:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 25
Words: 51,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1110056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eriador117/pseuds/Eriador117
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry Potter, the young Earl of Godric's Hollow saw his parents murdered before his own abduction. He lives now for one thing and one thing only: vengeance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the anime and manga Black Butler/Kuroshitsuji. Could be considered a fusion with HP, but it will not necessarily follow either storyline exactly.  
> Yana Toboso owns Black Butler and JK Rowling Harry Potter. No money is made from these stories. Just for fun, not for profit.  
> Beta'd by R, thanks so much :)

**Part 1**

The smoke was choking him, but Harry stumbled on, trying to get back to the drawing room. He could hear his mother screaming as the flames engulfed the manor.

"Master Harry! No!" Miss McGonagall, his governess, grabbed hold of his arm and tried to yank him back, away from the door that seemed to be growing more and more out of reach. "It's too dangerous! You have to get out of here!"

"My parents are in there! I can't leave them!" Harry protested, flinging her arm away and dashing down the corridor. The ceiling above buckled under the weight of the fire and wooden struts fell to the floor in front of him, fire consuming them like hungry monsters. Harry had never felt such heat. His skin blistered, his hair and eyebrows singed from the heat of the flames. How could he get past the obstacle to the drawing room? The flames were too high for him to jump.

The drawing room door imploded inwards, flames licking up each side of the doorway, as if framing the scene within. A scene that would haunt him forever: both of his parents sitting side by side on a brocaded sofa. Harry knew the sofa had once been blue, but the fire had turned everything to char - including his parents. They were already dead; he'd imagined his mother's screams, for no sound could have come from the two blackened skeletons sitting on that sofa.

Harry screamed and tried to make his way through the flames. What did it matter if he died now? He would be with his parents again. But McGonagall was too quick for him; she yanked him back and scooped him up in her arms before making for the exit to the terrace. Harry squirmed in her grasp, but she had too close a hold on him and his efforts to escape were futile.

As soon as they were outside, McGonagall set him down, panting for breath.

There were strangers all over the lawn, cloaked, hooded and masked figures that were running around the gardens setting fires to the trees and flowers. Were they the ones who had set fire to the manor? The ones who had killed his parents? Harry uttered a wordless wail of rage and rushed towards them, McGonagall hot on his heels. "Master Harry! No! Run! You must run from them!"

Harry ignored her and ran straight towards the hooded figures. McGonagall easily passed him with her longer legs, her skirts hitched up in her hands so she could run faster. Harry knew she was only trying to protect him, but didn't she know he no longer needed it? What was left for him now? One of the taller robed figures caught hold of McGonagall and threw her to the ground.

"Leave her!" snarled one of the other fellows. "Get the earl!"

Harry didn't quite understand at first. His father was dead already, what did these strangers want with him now?

"Get the earl," that same cold voice repeated and the tide of people washed towards Harry.

 _Oh./_ With his father dead now, Harry _was_ the earl.

"Go, Harry! Run!" McGonagall urged him once more before one of the figures kicked her in the face. Harry shrieked and ran towards the coward who would do such a thing.

"How dare you hit a woman!" Harry bellowed, his small hands pummelling the man's chest, but Harry was no match for a full-grown man. McGonagall's attacker laughed before gripping Harry's hands in his own, so Harry kicked him on the shins instead.

"You little bastard," he said, spitting in Harry's face. Two others grabbed hold of Harry's arms and tore him away. 

Harry wriggled and kicked, trying to get free, but it was no use. "Unhand me at once, you oafs! How dare you touch me!"

"Oh, we'll be doing more than touching you soon, little earl," said the man who'd spat on him. "Don't you worry about that. Our Master has plans for you. He wants you alive, but he didn't say we couldn't rough you up a bit first."

Harry groaned in agony when the punch landed on his stomach, slumping against the arms holding him up. The world wavered and greyed at the edges, he thought he might be sick, but the nausea passed. 

"Now, who's next?"

***

Harry scrambled as far back as he could in the cage when he heard the footsteps approaching, but there wasn't anywhere to go. There were only two reasons why someone would approach his cage - to feed him or to take him out for more torture. And since he'd already been fed that day, he knew he was in for more pain.

Harry didn't know how long he'd been here, wherever _here_ was. It was a windowless room with bare bricks on the walls and a mud-packed floor. His captors hadn't even given him a chamber pot or bucket, so he had to use the floor of his cage like an animal and the smell was vile.

From the time of his abduction, he'd been locked in this small cage unless he was brought out for another torture session. There wasn't a second went by when he wasn't in some sort of pain. But worse than the pain, was the humiliation. They'd stripped him of his clothes that first night - even his undershirt and drawers. All of them laughed and pointed, making scathing comments about his scrawny body and his small groin. "Look at it! It looks like a worm!" They'd poked and prodded him, rough hands crawling all over his naked body before they'd shoved him in the cage.

The cage was so small that he couldn't even stretch out or sit up. The only position that was comfortable was to be on all fours, like the animal he was trying hard not to be. How those horrible people had laughed to see him thus degraded!

"Oh, look! All the little puppy needs is a tail!" The man who'd spoken thrust his groin obscenely against the bars of Harry's cage, near to his face. "I've got a tail right here that could do with a good lick!"

"If you put that disgusting thing anywhere near me I'll bite it off!" Harry retorted with more bravado than he felt. What did they want of him? Why were they keeping him here?

"Oho, the puppy can bark!"

"Leave the boy alone, Rodolphus. You know the Master wants him pure."

Harry wasn't sure, but he thought the voice that had scolded Rodolphus belonged to a woman.

"Pity. He's such a delectable little morsel. He's got an arse on him that would make a whore jealous."

But after that, Harry was never touched in an intimate way again. His captors stuck to beatings, kicking, whippings, scoring his skin with knives. Once they’d branded him on his chest, just above his left nipple: an image of a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth. Who were these people? What did they want of him? 

He tensed in his cage as the footsteps got nearer, wondering what it would be today. The cutting or the kicking?

The dark-robed figure who unlocked his cage was whistling today, as if he was going to enjoy whatever would be done to Harry. "You stink," he said conversationally. "We can't let you go to our Master smelling like that." No wonder, for Harry hadn't had a bath or even a pitcher of water to wash in ever since he'd been here. It was a far cry from his life at the manor.

Harry's heart thudded frantically against his chest. This was the first time he would be taken to their 'Master' and the knowledge filled him with terror. "What's he going to do to me?" Harry demanded, but the only reply he got was a clip round the ear.

hat's none of your business! The Master wants you brought to him washed and cleaned, so that's all you need to know." The man tugged Harry out of the cage before binding his wrists with rough rope. It chafed against his damaged skin.

Harry stumbled as soon as he was removed from the cage, his legs weak from lack of food and the cramped conditions he'd been kept in. The man growled and pulled him upright each time it happened. It was obvious in his tone and the way that he pinched Harry's arms that he considered the job of taking Harry to be bathed beneath him. They marched down a maze of passages, none with windows, only old-fashioned iron sconces with torches on the walls. Harry was reminded of the medieval dungeons from his History lessons with Miss McGonagall. What had happened to her? Had they murdered her like they'd murdered his parents and the rest of the staff at the manor? Something flickered in Harry's chest, something other than the despair he'd been feeling up until now. What would his dying achieve? He had to live, he had to fight, for only then could he avenge his parents. 

There was no bathing room in this foul place; the man shoved Harry into a room that may once have been a kitchen, for there was an old range cooker up against one wall. Someone was boiling a kettle on the stove top. There was no bath, not that Harry had expected one. Instead there was a barrel cut in half which would have to serve for his wash. The kettle whistled and the other figure removed it from the stove and poured it into the barrel, steam billowing everywhere. "In," Harry's jailer commanded. 

"It's too hot! You'll scald me!" 

"It has to be hot to get rid of all the impurities. The Master's orders." 

It took the two of them to manhandle Harry into the tub. He fought like a demon to prevent himself from being dunked in the hot water, but he couldn't get away no matter how much he tried. As soon as the water hit his bruised and broken skin he cried out in pain. It felt as if he was being flayed alive. Not just water for him, each of the men took up hard-bristled brushes that Harry was sure would be more suited to cleaning floors than cleaning skin and scrubbed every inch of his flesh. He didn't know how long he endured the agony of that bath; time seemed to have lost all meaning. All he was aware of was pain that never seemed to stop. But at last it was over. They lifted him out of the barrel and dried him roughly with coarse towels before dressing him in a sleeveless linen tunic which buttoned down the front. 

Harry swayed on his feet as one of the men knelt down and did up his buttons. He was faint from hunger and the heat of the bath. Everything felt unreal as he was led down more and more corridors and into a cavernous room. It reminded him of a church with a vaulted ceiling, but there were no stained-glass windows here. There were no windows at all, just more of those flickering torches casting shadows everywhere. There was quite a crowd gathered in this underground room. Each of them wore black cloaks, the hoods up, their faces masked. Each person had a different sort of mask, but each was of a different animal. Some were real, like foxes and hounds, some from myths such as wyverns and dragons. But Harry could still see their eyes through the masks: each was staring at him with a naked hunger that increased his terror tenfold. 

A tall figure broke away from the others. They all bowed and scraped to him, their cloaks trailing on the floor. As they moved Harry saw what had been hidden at first. There, in the middle of the room was a large altar at waist height. At each corner were iron manacles and chains to bind a prisoner in place. Harry turned, he tried to run, but there was nowhere to go. He was surrounded by enemies and they caught him easily. The Master of the bunch tipped Harry's chin up to face him. 

"Such spirit still! But what would I expect from the Earl of Godric's Hollow? Your line has never been cowards. You will make an excellent sacrifice." Harry struggled once more as they bound him to the altar, splaying his limbs to their furthest span. Their previous sacrifices had obviously been much taller. He rattled against his chains, but even as he did so he felt himself growing weaker, as if the chains themselves were drawing away his strength and resistance. The Master approached and ripped the front of Harry's tunic open. He grinned when he saw the brand on Harry’s chest. Harry wanted to cower away from that hungry gaze, but there was nowhere to go. His father would have endured anything. Harry steeled himself. Whatever happened now, he would not go to his death whimpering in fear. He was the Earl of Godric's Hollow! He was a Potter! Potters did not grovel; they did not give in to fear! 

But despite all that, Harry couldn't stop the scream when the dagger pierced his chest.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

The first thing Harry was aware of, was that he was free from pain. He opened his eyes and found himself in a white room. No, room was the wrong word. There were no floors, no ceilings, just a featureless white space. Harry was floating within the space, suspended in midair with no visible means of support. He was prone, like he had been on the altar, but he couldn't see any chains holding him in place. Harry tried to move, but was unable to. If there were any bindings they were invisible. He saw something out of the corner of his eyes as a dark blur whizzed past his head.

Harry turned his head as far as he was able and blinked, unsure what he was seeing. His captors had broken his spectacles the day they'd first abducted him and everything was fuzzy. It looked like a bird; Harry was unsure whether it was a crow or a raven, with glossy black wings and black eyes. The bird had perched on a skeletal grey tree that Harry was sure had only just appeared.

"Why have you summoned me, mortal?" A booming voice asked. It wasn't a voice Harry heard with his ears; he heard it in his mind.

"I haven't summoned anyone."

The raven flew from its perch and swooped down to land on Harry's chest, staring at him with beady black eyes. The bird seemed to be scanning him, as if it was taking note of all the bruises and other hurts that marred his body. When it saw the knife-wound on Harry's chest, it clicked its beak and made some sort of screeching, hissing noise that Harry had never heard from a bird before.

"So, they think to use an innocent for their vile rituals, do they?"

The raven flew from Harry's chest amid a flurry of black feathers that fell like snow. When the feathers cleared, a man was standing in the raven's place. No, not a man. It couldn't be a man. What man had glossy, black wings sprouting from his shoulders? What man's eyes were red like burning embers, the dark pupil vertical like a cat's? What man had skin so pale it shone like bleached bone in moonlight?

"Am I dead?" Harry asked the figure, not frightened in the least. The being stared at him down the edge of his hooked nose.

"Not yet. Someone tried to kill you. To use you in a sacrifice to raise a demon. I have little patience for humans who sacrifice others to their own ends, especially those who have done no wrongdoing. Did they think the death of an innocent child would bind me to their will? What has become of magic wielders these days? I remember a time when any self-respecting wizard would use his own blood to raise power. That's the trick of it, you see. Self-sacrifice. Have they no lore? No knowledge of this any longer? The death of an innocent would do little but anger demons."

"You're a demon," Harry said, and it wasn't a question. "Somehow, I always thought Hell would be hotter."

The demon laughed then, throwing back his head, his shoulder-length hair shaking with the force of his guffaws. "This isn't Hell. Or Heaven either. This is the in-between place."

"The in-between place? What's that?"

"It's the place where those souls go who have not yet decided whether their host body should live or die."

"I have nothing to live for. They took everything from me."

"Nothing to live for? Oh, come now, there's no point in lying to me. How about vengeance? Don't you want revenge on those who killed your parents? On those who hurt you so terribly? Only make a bargain with me and I can help you destroy them all. You can have your vengeance, Harry Potter. I can help you achieve it."

It didn't surprise Harry that the demon knew his name, or knew what had happened to his parents, or that deep, dark part of himself that he was both ashamed and proud of. He did want vengeance. He did want to find those responsible and make them pay and pay and pay. The yearning was so strong, he could almost taste it. To see them grovel as he tortured them in turn, like they had done to him.

"You're a demon. A bargain with you means that you want something in return. What do you want?" Harry asked, although he feared that he already knew the answer.

"You know what I want, Harry Potter. Deep down, you've always known it."

"You want my soul."

"Of course! Material things are of no use to demons, not when we can magic everything we need."

"Why do you need to bargain with me for my soul? Couldn't you just take it?" Not that Harry knew much about demons, but if asked, he would have thought they could just take what they wanted.

"It doesn't work like that. There are rules that our kind are bound to. Demons cannot devour the soul of a mortal they do not have a contract with."

"What's to stop you from eating my soul once I've agreed to the contract but before I've had my vengeance?"

The demon smiled, showing fanged teeth. "My, you are curious, aren't you? Again it comes down to the contract. The demon and their mortal are both bound by it. If you form a contract with me, I cannot harm you, not until your desire for revenge is met. In fact, I will protect you from death until the terms are fulfilled. I will serve you as your bound demon in whatever capacity you desire."

"The terms being that once I have my revenge, you are free to devour my soul?"

"Indeed. Is this your wish? To bind myself to you?" The demon moved closer to Harry, placing his hand over the wound in Harry's chest. His nails were black, sharp and long, reminding Harry of talons. "Before you answer, you must understand that once the contract is formed there is no going back. It cannot be broken. If you make a contract with me the gates of Paradise will be forever closed to you. You will no longer be considered one of His children."

"I don't care," Harry said with venom. "Where was He when my parents were murdered? Where was He when I was tortured and humiliated in that place? I renounce Him! I'll take your bargain, demon. I want them to pay for what they did. Every last one."

The demon licked his lips, his eyes bright. "Name me. You must name me to seal our contract."

"Name you? That's all? No pain? No blood?"

"Oh, there will be that too. I must place a demon's mark on you. It has to hurt and you have to agree to it."

Harry nodded, he'd expected as much. What did he care now for a moment's more pain? He had endured it, he would endure it again. But this time he knew what it was for. "Self-sacrifice. I understand."

"Exactly. Now, what do you name me, young master?"

Harry thought for a while. It couldn't just be any name. The demon was an ancient being, powerful, striking. Harry just couldn't call him Tom or John or Joe; the demon needed something more distinguished. Miss McGonagall had been teaching him about ancient Rome these past few weeks, before Harry's life had turned upside down. What was the name of that emperor? Septimus? No, that wasn't it. Harry smiled as he looked the demon up and down, as if to see if the name would suit. He nodded. It would.

"I name you Severus."


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3**

"It's time to wake, young master."

Harry rolled over in bed and groaned. His sleep had been filled with nightmares and he didn't feel at all refreshed. Severus was by the window, pulling back the curtains and tying them with silken ropes. Outside, Harry could hear the clatter of horses' hooves and the raucous shouts of children as they played. In the distance a bell tolled the hour, eight o'clock.

Harry stared at Severus' back, wondering as always what the butler was thinking, but Severus never gave anything away. As usual, he was dressed in black swallow-tail coat, black trousers with a thin grey pinstripe and a pair of white gloves. Underneath, he would have his black waistcoat, white shirt and black tie. Sometimes he reminded Harry of an undertaker rather than a butler. Outside there was a loud crash of glass breaking and two voices rose in argument.

"What happened?" Harry asked, wincing on hearing the noise.

"A milkman's cart overturned, my lord, and the broken bottles are blocking the road. Some of the other road-users are not happy."

"I hate London," Harry muttered. "When will the repairs be finished at the manor?"

"It shouldn't take much more than a week, young master. There are only the finishing touches to the décor to be done now. Everything else is in place." Harry knew that with Severus' demon powers, the manor could have been restored in a matter of days, not years, but that would have meant questions, questions he wasn't willing to answer, so he had allowed Severus to employ human workmen to get things done. They'd spent the intervening years at his parents' London house, or rather now it was his house, but Harry still wasn't quite used to the fact that he was the Earl of Godric's Hollow now and not his father. It didn't seem real.

Severus turned from the window, his lips curling in a smirk. "Must you always toss and turn so when you sleep? You look like a hedgehog with that hair."

Harry growled. "Is that anyway to speak to your master?"

Severus crossed his right hand over his heart and bowed. "Forgive me. You are too easy to tease, my lord."

"You've been with me for three years now; surely you know how much I hate that?"

"Indeed," Severus said as he wheeled over the trolley holding Harry's breakfast, but Harry didn't think Severus sounded at all repentant. Severus lifted the silver cloche to reveal the dishes underneath. "Today, we have cream porridge, kippers, bacon, eggs and devilled kidneys, along with earl grey tea."

"I'll just have the tea and porridge today. I'm not feeling very hungry," Harry said as he sat up against his pillows.

"Are you ailing, my lord?" Severus removed one of his gloves, the left one, Harry noted, so that the sign of their contract was visible on the back of his hand. The demon seemed to like showing the mark of their contract whenever he could. Severus placed his hand on Harry's forehead, his skin cool. Severus was the only person Harry had allowed to touch him in the past few years; his torment at the hands of his torturers still making him feel wary, even if the touches were meant to be benign. Harry often wondered if the demon was alive the way humans were alive. He seemed to breathe; he could eat human food, although he didn't need it for sustenance. Did his heart beat? Did red blood flow in his veins? "You don't seem to have a temperature. Did you have nightmares again?" Severus lifted the tray off the trolley and placed it on Harry's lap. "Eat something, you might feel better."

Harry nodded, wondering a bit at the irony of a demon trying to make a human feel better. While Harry dealt with his breakfast, Severus turned to Harry's wardrobe and removed the clothes Harry would wear that day and set them down on the bed for Harry's approval. A dark green jacket with black trim, short trousers to match, white shirt, a black ribbon for his neck, socks and garters and of course his under drawers. Harry nodded, he didn't really care what he wore, but Severus did. The demon always chose clothes that he thought fitted with Harry's position in society.

Once Harry's breakfast was finished, or as much of it as he could manage, Severus removed the tray while Harry stood to be divested of his nightshirt so that Severus could dress him. Severus did duty as his valet, his butler, housekeeper and cook all rolled into one. That was fine while they were at the small London townhouse, but once back at the manor, Harry knew they would need more staff. Even a demon had to have help sometimes.

Harry stood still while Severus dressed him, his touches professional, almost perfunctory. Did the demon feel nothing but duty towards him? Or was he just making sure that his prey couldn't escape before he got his soul? Did demons feel desire? Or was the only thing they lusted after human souls?

"You're very quiet this morning, my lord. Is anything the matter?"

"Just thinking. What's my schedule for today?"

"Master Roberts has had to cancel your music lesson today, a family emergency, so I will be taking you instead." Severus tied the bow around Harry's shirt collar and stood up to inspect his handiwork.

"You? Do you even know anything about music?"

"I do. You are lunching with your aunt and uncle and this afternoon you will be interviewing staff for the manor."

Harry grimaced. He'd forgotten Petunia and Vernon were coming for lunch today. Their visits always left him feeling out of sorts, for Petunia was nothing like his mother and he wondered at how the same parents could have produced two so different sisters.

"Could you interview the prospective staff, Severus? I don't really know what we need to run a manor house. You'd be much better at interviewing them."

"As you wish, young master." 

"Do you know what sort of staff we might need for the manor?"

"A cook, a gardener, a housekeeper or maid, footmen, someone to see to the horses and you probably ought to have a valet as well."

"No," Harry said firmly. "No valet. I don't want anyone else to touch me. Only you can touch me, Severus."

Severus nodded, a smile hovering around his mouth. Oh, the demon did like that, didn't he? That he was the only one who ever got to touch him. It gave Harry a strange, squirmy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He'd been feeling it around Severus a lot lately, but he was hesitant to ask Severus what it meant.

Severus handed Harry his walking stick, the silver handle in the shape of a gryphon. Harry stood up and marched to his bedroom door when a cough from behind him made him pause.

Harry turned to see Severus holding up the blue silk eye-patch in his hand. "I forgot," Harry said as he took it from Severus and put it over his right eye. The pentagram had faded somewhat since Severus had first put it there, but it was still visible. Harry had endured the pain Severus had inflicted on him much more stoically than the other tortures, because this time he knew that it was something he wanted. Severus had to mark him, had to inflict pain but after that Harry knew that he now had a demon that would do his bidding, who could help him track down and destroy those who had killed his parents.

"It's best you do not forget, my lord. Unless you want everyone in England to know you've contracted with a demon."

"I'm not sure they'd believe demons existed."

"I do enjoy watching humans discover the truth of it. It's quite amusing." Severus smirked again before placing Harry's tray back on the wheeled trolley. "I've left your correspondence in your study, my lord. You know to ring if you need anything. I shall take you for your music lesson at ten and then I must start on lunch. Will that be all?"

"Yes, yes," Harry waved the demon butler away and made his way downstairs to his study on the first floor. He paused by the large painting of his parents on the landing, both of them looking so happy together. James Potter was wearing a ring set with a blue diamond on his right hand, the same ring that now graced Harry's left thumb, as it was too big to fit on any of his fingers yet. It was a ring that had been handed down to the Earl of Godric's Hollow, ever since the earldom had been formed in the 1700s. Harry shook his head and continued on his way. The painting of his parents was the only one that had survived the fire, as it had been in the London townhouse at the time.

There was only one letter on his desk today. Severus dealt with most of the household bills and accounts, dealing with the tailor and the butcher himself, for it was unseemly for an earl to be seen dealing directly with money. It was Harry, however, who dealt with all accounts of the Potter businesses, the toy and confectionery factories. But the cream vellum envelope sealed with red wax was no ordinary letter. The royal coat-of-arms was embedded in the wax and the front of the envelope held only one name: Phoenix.

Harry lifted his silver letter opener, slit the vellum and removed the letter.

_Phoenix,_

_As always, we use no names, as my employer must not be seen to be engaging in your services. The throne must always be protected and it has been the Earls of Godric's Hollow who have been entrusted with that protection for many years. We know that you are young, but that you know your duty._

_You may have seen the reports in the papers of late of the murder of certain ladies of ill-repute. Harry snorted, why didn't they just come out and say it? Harry knew the word prostitute, knew what it meant too, despite his age. Our liege is most distressed at these callous murders and implores you to investigate the matter further, as the police have had no luck in finding the person responsible. Of course, you must never disclose that you are under orders from anyone and if caught, we will deny all knowledge of this and of you. Rumours have hinted that Viscount Malmesbury might be involved, but these are unsubstantiated. We shall leave it to your discretion as to how he might be investigated._

The letter finished without even a salutation, not that Harry had expected one. He was the Queen's Phoenix after all, expected to obey orders at once. He'd never heard of Viscount Malmesbury, but he could find out. Malmesbury was in Wiltshire, wasn’t it? Harry stood and stretched, before burning the letter in the study's hearth. He lifted down _Debretts Peerage_ from one of the bookshelves and searched through until he found the entry he was after.

Hmm. Lucius Malfoy was Viscount Malmesbury, he had a wife, Narcissa and a son Draco, around the same age as Harry, but Harry had never met any of them. When his parents were still alive he'd been considered too young for social engagements. He still was, if they wanted to be traditional about it, but as the titled Earl, he'd been given some leeway and got invited to balls and suppers as frequently as his parents had been. 

Harry rang the bell-pull by the bookcase and a few moments later, Severus was standing in the doorway. Did he fly here? He always seemed to arrive in short order.

"Phoenix has a new assignment," Harry said without preamble. "We need to find out all we can about Viscount Malmesbury, Lord Lucius Malfoy."

"This is most fortuitous, young master. When I was at the market earlier, I overheard some of the other servants gossiping, you know how they love gossip. Anyway, it seems that the viscount is searching for a bride for his son, Draco, and is hosting a ball for all eligible young ladies next week."

"It sounds like Cinderella. And Draco the handsome prince, I suppose. Well, that doesn't help us, does it? If this ball is for eligible young ladies."

Severus grinned. "Oh, I don't know, my lord. There might be a way."


	4. Chapter 4

**Part 4**

"Good afternoon. Lady Dursley, Sir Dursley, Master Dursley." Severus swung the door wide as he greeted his master's relatives. They didn't have titles, but Severus knew how much they hankered after anything that would bring them up in the world. He called them by titles to draw attention to the fact that they didn't have any. It was amusing to see their reactions: pleasure at being so addressed warring with whether or not they should admit to the butler that they didn't in fact deserve them. Pride, that was Petunia Dursley's sin. Petunia was tall, thin and bony, elbows and shoulder blades sharp enough to cut. Severus had never seen her smile; her lips were always pursed in distaste, as if she'd been sucking on lemons.

Now, Vernon, it was too easy to guess his sin: gluttony. Shorter than his wife, but almost three times as wide, the buttons on Vernon's waistcoat (a garish purple and gold affair decorated with swans) stretched so taut across his ample belly that the buttons looked in danger of flying off and hitting someone in the eye at any moment. Three chins wobbled on Vernon's short neck and he wheezed with exertion, as if the walk from the carriage to the doorstep was a hundred league trek.

Dudley Dursley had the bulk of his father and the same distasteful look on his face like his mother. He was so large that rolls of fat spilled over the top of his boots. The boy had been trying valiantly to grow a moustache, but it looked like he had a hairy, brown caterpillar decorating his top lip. Severus reined in his amusement.

"About bloody time!" Vernon groused, earning him a reproving look from his wife.

"Language, Vernon!"

Vernon ignored her and carried on ranting at Severus. "Do you know how long we've been waiting here?"

_Hardly any time at all, since I opened the door as soon as you knocked._

But rather than saying what was truly in his mind, Severus plastered a false smile on his face and bowed. "I do apologise if I've kept you waiting. Luncheon will be served in the dining room. If you'd please follow me?" Severus didn't bother to look behind him as he led the way to the dining room. It was a medium sized room at the front of the house overlooking the street outside.

Harry was already seated at the head of the table when Severus pushed the door open, but stood up to greet his guests, despite his dislike of them. Severus was proud of his young master's manners, he'd learned from his parents and from Severus too. How he would have turned out if he'd ended up with the Dursleys, Severus didn't want to contemplate. "Please, have a seat." Harry waved to the other place settings, the blue diamond on his hand catching the light. "Severus will be serving lunch shortly."

"Good job too, I'm starving!" said Dudley as he settled his bulk into one of the chairs, which creaked in protest.

Vernon tried to squeeze himself into one of the chairs before pulling it out from the table, his face getting redder and redder at the attempt. He grunted in defeat, before pulling the chair out and sat down, his arse hanging down either side of the seat. "I don't know why they make chairs so small these days."

"Allow me, my lady," said Severus as he pulled out Petunia's chair for her. She didn't bother to thank him; there wasn't even a hint of a smile on that stern face.

Vernon picked up the silverware and weighed the knife in his hand. "These must be worth a pretty penny, eh?"

"Discussing money at the table is vulgar," said Harry.

Vernon flushed and dropped the knife as if it had burned him. "Oh, it's all right for you, sitting there, all high and mighty as if you're better than the rest of us. It could have been Petunia married an earl and got all this instead of you."

"Well, she didn't marry an earl, did she uncle? She married you instead."

Vernon clenched his hands as if he wanted nothing more than to wrap them around Harry's throat. Severus would protect his master from the likes of Vernon Dursley and anyone else who would do him harm. Severus looked to Harry, who nodded that it was time to serve the soup.

Severus placed the tureen in the middle of the table and ladled out the soup, starting with Harry and ending with Dudley. Dudley trailed his spoon through the orange liquid, but made no move to eat it. Vernon had already started in on his, slurping his way through the first course. "What is it?" Dudley asked.

Severus was tempted to reply that it was the blood of Harry's enemies, but he didn't think his master would appreciate his dark humour in this instance.

"It's pumpkin soup," said Harry.

"Pumpkin?" echoed Vernon, his mouth so full of soup that some of it dribbled back down into the bowl. Severus and Harry both shuddered when he ate it again. "I've never heard of pumpkin."

"It's from the Americas. A type of gourd," said Severus.

Both Petunia and Vernon nodded, but Severus would bet his master's soul that neither of them knew what a gourd was either. There was silence as everyone ate their soup, or in the case of Vernon, who dribbled most of his. Severus stood by the sideboard and waited until everyone was finished before clearing their plates. He served everyone a lemon sorbet next to cleanse their palates before the next course of salmon mousse.

Petunia pecked at her food and looked anywhere but at Harry.

"What's the reason for your visit today?" Harry asked at last. He'd already confided in Severus that the Dursleys only ever came to visit when they wanted something. It was never just a social call for a chat.

"Can't we just visit our nephew?" Petunia set down her sorbet spoon and fiddled with her napkin.

"Why would you want to visit someone you dislike so much?" Harry retorted.

"We never said that!" blustered Vernon.

"You don't have to. I know you don't like me. You're envious of me, of the material things I have. Don't you think I would give it all away if I knew it could bring my parents back to me? But it won't. I need to keep my status in society so I can find out what happened to them. Doors would close to me if I was no longer an earl, or thought to be well-off. I need those doors open to me."

"It's not right!" said Petunia. "A child, having all that money, all that power when we're almost destitute!"

"Destitute?" Harry laughed sarcastically. "You're hardly that. My mother left your family well provided for, Petunia. What, the house in town and the one in Surrey not good enough for you? The yearly stipend of two thousand a year? Dudley's school fees? You are not destitute, far from it."

Vernon mumbled something under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Dudley's been expelled from Smeltings, for fighting. I want to send him to Eton."

"You can send your son to whatever school you like, Uncle, but it won't be with my money. The will was quite clear on that point. Dudley's school fees would be paid as long as he behaved himself like a gentleman. Since he can't even seem to do that much right, you've forfeited the rights to school fees for him."

Vernon stood up, puffing out his chest. "You can't do that to us! You're family! You have to help us!"

"Family? My mother talked about you all the time. She wrote to you but all her letters came back unopened. You never came for a visit; never saw my mother once she married my father! You were so jealous of her, Aunt Petunia. That she got to marry an earl and you ended up with a merchant. You couldn't even be happy for her, could you? Instead, you let the bitterness and regrets fester until you'd heard she was dead. Even then, you didn't seem to care that you'd never see your sister again. All you cared about was the inheritance she left you. If Dudley got expelled from school, that's his problem not mine."

"We'll get a solicitor! This can't be right! We'll sue you for every penny you have!"

"Do you really think you'd win?" Harry asked coldly. "You would be wise not to cross me. I don't take kindly to threats. Severus, see them out, would you?"

"It would be my pleasure, my lord," said Severus, smirking.

"We'll go to the authorities!" Vernon protested. "You should be in school!"

"Lord Harry doesn't need to go school if he doesn't wish to," said Severus. "He has the best tutors money can buy, don't worry, his education is being seen to."

"I don't care about his bloody education!" snarled Vernon.

"No, of course you wouldn't. You just want him out of the way, don't you? Hide him away at some awful boarding school, maybe even arrange an accident there so that you can sneak in and grab his inheritance. Well, it won't work, Dursley. If anything happens to my charge, your family won't see a penny. Instead, the money will be given to the London Hospital for the Poor. And if you keep spending money at the rate you're going, you might end up in a poor house too, and there will be no help from my master."

"You selfish brat!" Vernon made a jump for Harry, but Severus was too quick for him and pulled Vernon's arm around his back. It was satisfying to hear the bone crack. Vernon wailed in agony. Oh, such music to Severus' ears.

"That's enough, Severus!"

"Sorry, my lord. I was only trying to protect you."

"I know. Just get them out of my house. I never want to see them again."

"As always, your wish is my command."


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 5**

"Ah! Ah! Sev - Severus!" Harry panted harshly, sweat dripping down his forehead. "I can't! It's too much!"

"I'm nearly there, my lord. You just need to relax a bit more. Put your hands against the wall. Brace yourself that way."

Harry pounded the walls with his fists, but nothing could negate the other pain he felt. This was awful! How could people do this? Severus was going to break him in half!

"Stop! Stop! I can't do this!"

"You're doing so well, surely you don't want to stop now that we're nearly there? Just a bit more." Severus grunted and Harry could feel the demon's breath on the back of his neck. "There, all done. That wasn't too bad, was it?"

" _Wasn't too bad?_ "Harry screeched. "I can hardly breathe! I'll die wearing this thing!"

"Don't be ridiculous, young master. A young lady has never expired yet by wearing a corset."

"Well, I'm not a young lady. I don't see why I have to wear a corset anyway."

"Because it will ruin the line of the dress if you don't."

"And just where do you think we're going to get a dress at such short notice? It'll take weeks to get one made and the ball's tonight." Harry folded his arms across his chest and pouted, sure that he would get his own way and wouldn't have to go to some stupid ball dressed as a girl.

"No need," said Severus, smirking as he walked to Harry's wardrobe and removed a ball gown that Harry had never seen before. There was an abundance of pink, and lace, and frills. It was the girliest, fluffiest, flounciest thing Harry had ever seen. Even his mother would never have worn something like that. Most of the dress was pink silk, with black and white striped bows and flounces on the neckline and bottom of the skirt. Two elbow-length black gloves hung over the hanger like two resting black snakes.

"You made that, didn't you?" For Harry couldn't imagine any tailor or seamstress actually making such an atrocity, even for a paying customer.

"Now, what sort of butler would I be if I couldn't do something as simple as running up a dress for my master?"

"That's not a dress! That's an abomination!" Harry protested. "I'm not wearing that!"

Severus set the ball gown down on the bed and shook his head. "So you don't want to find out what's happening to those women?"

"Of course I do," Harry protested. The papers had been growing more and more bloodthirsty by the day, describing every crime in gory detail. Of how the murderer hadn't just killed his victims, but butchered them. How could Harry not investigate and find out if Viscount Malfoy was really involved? Harry had no idea where these rumours had come from, but it was his duty to find out if there was any truth in them. "I just don't want to wear a dress to do it in."

"You know the reasoning for that too. This is a ball for eligible young ladies; you wouldn't have received an invitation otherwise."

"How did you wangle an invitation anyway?" Harry asked, for it seemed rather sudden.

Severus smiled and tapped his nose. "Now, now, allow your butler to have some secrets. All you need to know is that you are Lady Hermione Granger and I am your tutor and chaperone to the ball."

"My cousin? You want me to pretend to be my cousin? What if there's someone there who knows her? We'll never get away with it."

"You worry too much, my lord. I've already checked the guest lists. There is no one there who knows either you or Lady Hermione by sight. The plan is foolproof. After all, I came up with it."

"And you're never wrong, are you?" Harry countered.

"Not usually, no."

"Isn't Draco Malfoy a bit young to be getting married? He's around my age, you said."

"Indeed. I daresay the Malfoys just want to settle on an engagement for now, but you know you can get married at fourteen, and the girl at twelve?"

"You're joking, right?" Harry couldn't imagine getting married to anyone at the moment.

"No, it's been law since 1823," said Severus. "If your parents were still alive, I suspect they would have started looking around for your prospective mate soon. Of course, in a lot of noble families, cousins have been known to be betrothed at birth." 

"I like Hermione," Harry said. "But I don't want to marry her! She's - she's Hermione!" he exclaimed, as if that was all the reasoning he needed.

"You are an earl in your own right," said Severus. "You certainly don't have to marry if you don't wish to, but you may want to give some thought to who might become your heir in that instance. It is common in these instances for the inheritance to come to the next male relative."

"Dudley? Become the next Earl of Godric's Hollow? I won't allow that to happen."

"I said, it is common, but you've no need to worry about that yet. Come, it's time you got ready for the ball."

Harry knew when he was defeated. "All right, I'll wear the stupid thing, but I'm not dancing."

Severus clucked his tongue. "My lord, it's a _ball_. You will be expected to dance, or do you wish to blow our cover before we've even started?" Severus looked thoughtful then, as if he could see inside Harry's mind. Harry wouldn't have put it past him. After all, he had no idea of the extent or the type of demon powers Severus had at his disposal.

"Could it be that your reticence has less to do with the dress and more to do with the fact that you cannot dance?"

Harry didn't answer, he didn't need to. Severus knew him better than anyone.

"Well then, perhaps a lesson is in order before we go? It's probably best if you wear the dress, that way you'll know how to move in it. You'll be more used to it."

Harry didn't think he'd ever be used to wearing a dress, but he nodded and held his arms up so that Severus could put the gown on him. "Wait a moment," said Severus as he marched over to the chest of drawers and removed three ruffled petticoats. Harry hadn't even known there were petticoats in the house. Had Severus made those too?

Severus knelt down and held the waist of the first petticoat so that Harry could step into it, which he did. The demon glanced up at Harry, his eyes flashing red rather than the usual dark brown of his human form. Harry gasped at the hunger he saw in those eyes. Sometimes he could forget that Severus was a demon who wanted his soul, but not tonight, not the way Severus was looking at him. Severus had dressed and undressed Harry for three years now, but tonight something was different. 

Was it the fact that Harry was being dressed as girl that had Severus taking more care? There was no professional efficiency, Severus seemed to linger over every moment of getting Harry outfitted in his petticoats, then his stockings, the dress, then the long gloves, something Harry had never noticed before.

Once the dress and shoes were on and the long-haired wig settled on Harry's head, Severus stood back and nodded. "Now, if someone asks you to dance, first you would curtsey. Hold each side of your dress out, place one leg behind the other and dip, lowering your head."

Harry tried to do as he was bid, but his feet got tangled up in the ruffles of his petticoat and he ended up stumbling into Severus' waiting arms, who made sure he didn't fall. Severus' arms tightened around him and Harry felt all the breath leave him in a soft whoosh. He never wanted to leave the safety of those arms. Ever. Harry felt that strange squirming feeling in his lower belly again and his whole body flushed. Would Severus notice anything was amiss? And what was amiss? Harry wasn't sure himself. He just knew that he was feeling strange lately, most especially in Severus' presence.

"It looks like we'll have to practice curtseying as well as dancing," said Severus, his voice holding a hint of humour and lowering his arms. Harry stepped away, feeling suddenly cold, although the summer evening was warm.

"Now, let's try for a dance, shall we?" Severus bowed, Harry managed a curtsey and then he was in his demon's arms once more.

***

They'd hired a carriage and driver for the evening. There wouldn't have much point in being covert if they'd arrived in a carriage with the Potter coat-of-arms on it. Severus sat beside him on the velvet-covered bench, dressed this evening in black tailcoat, white shirt and wonder of wonders, his waistcoat wasn't black tonight, but a deep midnight blue with brass buttons and a matching gold cravat. Harry sat stiffly in his corset and dress, unused to the restrictive clothes. How could women and girls bear to wear such things?

They were so close that their knees would touch, if it hadn't been for the amount of material of Harry's gown. The thing nearly needed a carriage of its own. Harry closed his eyes against the rocking of the carriage; he'd never been a great traveller and was glad they didn't have to go too far. Harry hoped he wouldn't be sick all over the carriage or the silk dress.

A cool touch on his brow made him open his eyes.

"Master? Are you well?" Severus' hand shone pale in the lamplight from the street lamps shining through the carriage windows.

"Just a little travel sick," Harry admitted. "This corset doesn't help. I can hardly breathe in it."

"It's just for one night, my lord."

Harry nodded the concern away. It had disconcerted him at first, the care Severus had taken with him, healing him after he'd rescued Harry from that awful place and making sure of his health ever since. Shouldn't a demon be happy at its human's pain? But it seemed that Severus wanted Harry in perfect health until the time that he claimed his reward. Maybe healthy humans had tastier souls? Harry didn't ask, as he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

The carriage drew to a halt, the horses neighing as the driver settled them down.

Harry peered out the window to the large white mansion. It was easily three times the size of Harry's own townhouse, which was part of a terrace of eight. This house was set in its own grounds, with gardens at the front and sides. Knowing how expensive land in London was, Harry was impressed despite himself. Malfoy definitely had money, or his ancestors had. This was no leased house for the season.

A strange cry startled him and he saw a flash of white dart through the shrubbery.

"Just peacocks, young master. I hear Viscount Malfoy is very fond of them."

"White peacocks?" Harry asked in surprise. "I thought they were all blue and green."

"The white ones are very rare. And the viscount collects rarities."

"Does he now?" Harry asked darkly, remembering the missing parts of the murdered women. Had Malfoy collected them too?

Severus opened the door of the carriage, stepped down and lifted his hand, ready to help Harry down. "Are you ready, my lady?" 

"No, not really. But I suppose I have to be, don't I?" Harry took Severus' hand and together they walked up the stone steps to the Malfoy mansion.


	6. Chapter 6

**Part 6**

Two footmen in matching black and gold livery opened the double doors as Harry and Severus approached. Severus bowed to the one on the right and handed over a gilt-edged card; the invitation Harry assumed. The footman nodded and waved them into the mansion.

They were in an enormous marble hallway. Hundreds of candles were alight in a large crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, making the room as bright as day. A sweeping staircase on both sides of the hallway led to the upper floors. There were vases of flowers, marble busts of ancient personages such as Shakespeare and Plato. Paintings adorned nearly every available wall space, so that it was hard to see the wallpaper itself, silver with purple flowers marauding across it.

To the left, more double doors were open and within couples danced around the floor to a string quartet. All the girls and women were dressed in colourful gowns of red, dark green, pink, lilac, lemon and peach but all the men were dressed in black suits like Severus. It was as if someone had placed crows in a cage of tropical birds. Harry was glad to see that his wasn't the frilliest dress there, so he didn't feel so out of place in his outfit.

"There's our quarry," said Severus, nodding over the crowd to the far side of the ballroom. Harry stood on tiptoes to see over their heads. Along the far wall at a circular table, Lucius Malfoy sat with his wife and son. Lucius was dressed in a white suit, which didn't suit his pale colouring at all. All the Malfoys had silvery-white hair and a pallor that would have looked better on a corpse. Narcissa was dressed in a cream velvet gown, which made her looked washed out. Harry thought she would have suited a deeper colour, such as red or green. Draco, dressed in black suit and red waistcoat, just looked bored. He slouched in his seat and put his elbow on the table, resting his hand on it. A few moments later, after some words with his mother, he sat up straight again and rolled his eyes where she couldn't see him.

"How do we get across? The floor is packed with people."

"The easiest way would be to dance our way across the floor," replied Severus.

It was all well and good to have a private dance lesson with Severus, where no one else would get to see his mistakes. "You want me to dance in _public_?" Harry asked in a panic.

"Yes. You've done very well in our lessons so far. We just need to get close enough to the Malfoys to cause a distraction and you need to get him on your own."

"And how am I supposed to do that?"

"Apparently, Lucius Malfoy has his eye on many a young lady, the younger the better. As soon as he sees this vision in pink, he'll be swept away." Severus' lip twitched, as if he was trying not to laugh.

"Don't you dare smirk!" Harry commanded. "It's bad enough I have to be the bait without you finding it so amusing! And what are you going to do while I'm distracting Malfoy?"

"I will be searching through his house, of course, and finding out if there is anything incriminating that ties him to the murders. Those rumours must have come from somewhere."

"If he is involved, do you really think he'd leave the evidence lying around for someone to find?"

"I've known humans a lot longer than you," said Severus. "Most of them are rather stupid and the criminal element the stupidest of all."

Harry wondered if he should say something in defence of the human race but didn't want to start arguing now when their suspect was so near at hand. Severus took hold of Harry's elbow and guided him into the ballroom. This room too was richly decorated, with gilded panels on the walls and three large crystal chandeliers on the ceiling. As well as the candle-lit chandeliers, there were also gas lamps on the walls. The gas lamps didn't give out much light, Harry suspected the only reason they were there was so that Malfoy could let people know that he was rich enough to afford gas.

Severus bowed to him and asked him to dance; Harry curtsied and let himself be led onto the dance floor. It was a simple waltz, so hopefully Harry wouldn't disgrace himself too badly. He just concentrated on letting Severus lead him across the floor and near to the Malfoys' table. Severus lowered his head to Harry's ear and whispered to him, "Pretend to be feeling faint."

With this tight corset encasing his ribs, Harry didn't need to pretend. He'd been feeling lightheaded all evening. As they neared the table, Harry stumbled and brushed against the table leg, knocking over a glass of red wine that stained the pristine cloth.

"Lord Viscount!" Harry exclaimed, pretending to be appalled. "I am so sorry!"

"My lady has come over a little faint," said Severus. "Do forgive us. My lady, shall I fetch you some lemonade?"

"Thank you, I'm sure that would help." Harry turned back to the Malfoys. "How terribly rude of me." He curtsied holding out the dress. "Lady Hermione Granger."

"Granger?" Narcissa Malfoy's eyebrows arched a fraction. "You're the Duke of Northolt's daughter?"

Harry tried not to laugh. What a coup that would be, for a mere viscount's son to snap up a duke's daughter! Pity it wasn't really true. Draco didn't seem at all interested in the matter of his prospective bride and was staring past Harry and out to the sea of dancers.

"Draco, why don't you escort Lady Granger out to the balcony for some fresh air," Narcissa suggested. That wasn't part of their plan. It wasn't Draco Harry needed to get alone, it was Lucius Malfoy.

"I can't, Mother," Draco said, giving Harry a disdainful look. "I've promised this dance to Lady Parkinson."

"Then I suppose you must. Off you go, then." 

Draco stood up, bowed to his parents and sought out a slender, dark-haired girl who must have been Lady Parkinson. Harry didn't know the Parkinsons, so he couldn't place who her family might be. Harry placed his hand on his head and sagged a little. "I think I do need some fresh air. If you'll excuse me."

Harry headed off in the direction of the doors leading to the balcony and heard the heated argument going on behind him. "Lucius! Go with her! What if she faints and hits her head on the flagstones? The duke will have our heads! You must make sure she's all right!"

"If you insist, my dear," Lucius drawled in a slow voice, as if he didn’t care either way. Harry knew better. He’d seen the glint in Malfoy’s grey eyes as he stared at Harry. Of course, he was thinking that Harry was a girl.

"I do! Now go!"

Lucius soon caught up with Harry and grabbed him by the elbow. Harry tried not to shudder at the strong contact. It had been over three years since anyone but Severus had touched him and he didn't like it. He didn't like it all. But Hermione Granger hadn't been kidnapped when she was ten and kept in a cage. She would have to no reason to shirk someone's touch, especially if that person was being solicitous of her health.

"My lady, please let me escort you outside. We wouldn't want you to fall, would we?"

"Thank you." Harry turned to him and smiled, although his stomach was churning. "You're most kind. I will have to tell my father how welcome I've been in your home."

"Pretty ladies are welcome any time, my dear."

They'd reached the French doors leading to the balcony now, Lucius Malfoy steered Harry through them, then pulled ruby red curtains across the doorway so that they were hidden from view from the dancers within. Harry's heart thudded against his ribs. Why would Malfoy want to hide them? This couldn't be good. Harry stepped away, but Malfoy easily closed the gap, smiling ferally.

The balcony wasn't large, there were two terracotta pots holding shrubs, and Harry had just backed into one. There was nowhere for him to go. He was trapped, just like before. When those people had abducted him and kept him in a cage. He couldn't go through anything like that again. But Severus needed time to search. He may have been a demon, but even he couldn't have searched very far in the past few minutes.

Malfoy traced a hand along Harry's cheekbone. "Such fine skin you have. Like porcelain. You're small and dainty too, like a doll. Would you break as easily, I wonder?"

"My lord! Please, stop this!"

"Or what? You'll call for help? And what happens when everyone sees you alone with a man without your chaperone? You'll be disgraced. There'll be no fine marriage for you, no fancy engagement. Your parents will probably ship you off to a convent where you have no more temptation. You are a temptress, aren't you? Pretending to feel faint to get my attention. Well, you have my attention now, my lady, and I take what I want. And right now I want you."

"How dare you speak to me that way!" Harry said haughtily and slapped Malfoy across the face. That just made Malfoy laugh and grip Harry firmly by the waist. "A girl with fight, I like that. It stirs the blood, you know." Malfoy thrust his body against Harry's dress and even through the layers Harry knew what he was feeling. Malfoy's erection. Harry struggled in the man's grip, but that just made Malfoy even more determined. He lowered his head and began kissing and biting at Harry's neck. Harry felt ill. Endure it, he said to himself. But as soon as Malfoy's hands began pawing at the bodice of his gown, he knew he couldn't. It was too much like before when those others had stripped him and humiliated him. He couldn't endure this again. 

Harry opened his mouth to scream Severus' name, to shout for help, when Malfoy was pulled bodily away from him. Severus pulled back his arm and punched the viscount on the face. He fell to the floor of the balcony like a felled tree, blood pouring from his nose and mouth, but the rest of him lay immobile, his white-blond hair like a halo around his head.

"Is he …?" Harry asked at last.

"He'll live. Unfortunately. You didn't call me," Severus said, sounding disappointed. "I'm here to help you."

"I was going to," Harry said. "But you got here before I could call you. How did you know I needed help?"

"I sensed your distress. We are bound by the contract. I will always be able to sense when you're in danger, but we should not let it get that far. You should have called me to your aid earlier. Did he hurt you?" Severus turned Harry's body this way and that, as if searching out wounds.

"No, he just frightened me a little. That's all."

"That's all?" Severus screwed up his face, his nostrils flaring. "You reek of him. His scent is all over you."

That was all it took, at Severus' words, Harry dashed to the balustrade and threw up over the rose bushes below. _Hands clawing at his clothes, hands crawling all over his body as they abused him again and again._

Severus was at his side in an instant, holding out a handkerchief so Harry could wipe his mouth. "Take me home, Severus. I need a bath. I need you to wipe away every trace of his scent."

"I intend to. He had no right to touch you! You're mine, Harry Potter! Mine!" Severus growled and gathered Harry up in his arms. Harry leant his head against Severus' chest, the words not scaring him in the least. Hearing Severus' possessive fury, he knew that no one else could harm him. Severus would keep him safe. His eyes widened when Severus flew into the air, with Harry clasped tightly against him, but he smiled when he realised they were flying, not falling.

Severus would never let him fall.


	7. Chapter 7

**Part 7**

Severus hadn't lied; Malfoy's scent was all over Harry. Harry reeked of lust, not his own, but Malfoy's. Severus had yet to feel any sexual desire emanate from his young master, but he knew it was only a matter of time. Already Harry was growing hair under his arms and around his groin, his chest was getting broader and his voice was deepening. Harry himself seemed unaware of his body's changes, or just not that interested. It was Severus who bathed him every day; it was Severus who dressed him, who noticed all these little things that were leading to one big thing: Harry was growing into a man. And soon it would be clear to Harry that for the past few months, Severus' bathing of him had been little more than an excuse to let his hands linger, to let his bare hands caress that perfect skin.

The flesh was scarred and marked with that terrible brand from three years ago, but the skin was perfect because it belonged to Harry. And Harry belonged to Severus. The jealousy that Lucius Malfoy had dared to touch his marked human was not a surprise to Severus. Demons were notoriously territorial when it came to their humans and Malfoy was lucky Severus hadn't killed him. It would have been the work of a moment to stop the man's heart or his lungs, watch him suffer and die for what he'd done to Harry. Or almost done. Would Malfoy have stopped his attempted rape if he'd discovered that the young lady in his arms had in fact been a boy? Or wouldn't it have mattered to him at all?

Now, as they reached the garden of the London town house, Severus had to consciously let go of that jealousy, let go of all the instincts that were screaming at him to take Harry, here, now, forcibly if necessary to lay even further claim to him. His body this time instead of his soul. But Harry wasn't ready. Harry wasn't ready for the sort of demon rutting Severus had in mind and despite his demonic urges, he held them in check as he set his master down on the ground. He would have Harry's soul when the time was right. He didn't need Harry's body as well. Oh, but how he wanted it! How he wanted Harry ripe and ready beneath him, begging for the demon's touch. It would ruin Harry for any human touch afterwards, but what did that matter? Harry wouldn't live long enough to marry and sire children anyway. Severus could have him. He could have all of him.

Severus knew he could use his powers to make Harry in thrall to him, make Harry yearn for his touch, but it wouldn't be real. It would only be the magic working, not Harry wanting it. For some reason that he couldn't fathom, Severus didn't want to enchant Harry to want him. Severus wanted Harry to want it himself. It was strange; he'd had no qualms about enchanting humans in the past if he had a need to release his sexual urges. Severus didn't feed on food; he fed on sex and gained power during sexual congress. He needed it to survive in the human realm. 

Harry had never asked what type of demon Severus was and Severus had never told him. He was an incubus; he needed sex as much as humans needed air. Incubi were very sexual beings, but they could not find their own sexual release. Self-pleasure was not an option, it did nothing but frustrate and never brought completion. Sometimes demons sought out others of their kind to seek release but it being in their nature not to share, sometimes one or both of them ended up dead or enslaved to another. It was better to seek out humans for this and Severus knew he was going to have to seek out someone soon before he did something irrevocable to Harry. His urges were growing by the day and he needed relief soon. Three years was too long to go without the sustenance he craved.

Severus bathed Harry that night, briskly and efficiently, noting how it was the first time in a while that Harry flinched away from his touch. Damn Malfoy and his pawing hands! Frightening Harry with things that should have been part of a mutual, sensual exploration. Malfoy had no right to touch what Severus had marked as his! Harry had never shied away from Severus' touch before, not even after his escape from his abduction. But maybe it was different now that Harry was getting older. Maybe he sensed things were different between them now too.

Once Harry was bathed and dried with a white fluffy towel, Severus put Harry's nightshirt on him and carried him to bed. Harry's arms clung to his neck and he curled his head against Severus' neck, Harry's breath tickling Severus' skin. Severus had already turned down the bedclothes earlier; he tucked Harry in and made sure he was settled comfortably against his pillows. Harry's face was pale, the glow of his emerald eyes seeming even brighter against the paleness of his skin, the white pentagram visible now on his iris and pupil without his eye patch.

Severus lifted the candelabra from the bedside cabinet and headed towards the door, when his master's unsteady voice stopped him.

"Severus?" Harry sounded so much younger than he should have. Scared and vulnerable. Like prey. Severus shut his eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. Harry wasn't his prey. Not yet. Severus was contract bound to protect him.

"Yes, young master?"

"Could - could you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

"If that is your wish, my lord," Severus replied, his hand already on the door handle.

"It is," said Harry, snuggling down further in the blankets, like the child he had so recently been. It was a strange thing to witness, this human adolescence, not quite children, but not quite adult, straddling two worlds but not really fitting in either. Harry Potter had it more difficult than most, for his childhood had been brutally cut short with violence and murder, but he was still an innocent too in so many ways. As his butler and bound to him, it was Severus' job to ensure that Harry received the best education Severus and his tutors could provide.

Severus sat down in the blue velvet chair that was nearest the window and set the candelabra down on the deep windowsill. Sleep wasn't necessary for a demon's survival, not like with humans, but it had been a long day and as Severus watched his young charge fall deeper into slumber he found his own eyelids drooping and in a few moments he too was fast asleep. He awoke disorientated, with his chin on his chest and an aching neck. The bond between them flared and Severus realised at once what had woken him: his young master's distress. Harry was moaning in his sleep, tossing this way and that.

The candles had almost burnt down, but it wouldn't have mattered, Severus could see perfectly well in the dark. Harry had pushed the bedclothes down at some point and his nightshirt was bunched up around his thighs. Severus got an excellent view of that pale skin and wished he dared move the garment higher to see the curves of his arse, but alas, it was not to be. Harry turned over onto his back, his eyes fluttering open, gasping for breath, his face flushed and his hair plastered to his forehead in sweaty strands. The nightshirt covered him demurely once more, but now Severus could smell the recent ejaculation that dampened the front of Harry's nightshirt.

Harry glanced from Severus to his wet groin, then back to his butler. "Oh God! I've wet the bed!"

"No, my lord. That's not what happened. Have none of your tutors explained this to you? You just had a nocturnal emission, a wet dream. It's perfectly natural in human adolescent males."

"Wet dream? So I _did_ wet the bed?"

"No, that's just a name. It's a different fluid that comes out, semen, not urine. Do you know anything of sexual matters, young master?"

"I know about babies. That a man and woman in love come together and make a baby."

Despite Harry's words, Severus didn't think Harry knew as much as he was letting on. Harry had sensed that Malfoy had wanted something Harry didn't want to give, but Severus was almost sure that Harry didn't know exactly what that was. "Do you know _how_ they come together?" 

"Er, no, not really. But it's something to do with a penis, isn't it? I felt it when Malfoy pressed against me. Mine has never been hard like that." Harry blushed, as well he might, for he was a well-bred young man and sex was one of the taboo subjects in the human world. As an incubus, Severus found it strange how reticent humans were to discuss the matter, yet on the other hand sought out prostitutes and pleasure houses to indulge in those same acts. It was as if the humans lived in two worlds side by side: the prim and proper society that Harry was part of and an underbelly where you could seek out whatever pleasure you wanted for the right price. Sex, drugs, even violence were all available. From brothels to opium dens, from cock-fighting to bare-knuckle boxing. Everything was there if you had the money to seek it out.

"Your tutors have been remiss in not teaching you about these things. How else is a young man to learn about it? Or would they expect you and your bride to muddle through on the wedding night?" Severus sighed and shook his head. "Let me get you some water and a fresh nightshirt, you must be uncomfortable like that. After you're clean you can ask me anything you wish."

***

Once Harry was cleaned and Severus had dressed him in a clean nightshirt, Severus sat back down on the chair, although he pulled it closer to the bed this time. Harry didn't seem to know where to start. "Um, so I don't really know about the babies. I just said that so you wouldn't think I was stupid."

"You're not stupid, far from it. Lack of knowledge doesn't imply stupidity. Very well, I'll try to explain." By the end of the talk, Harry was bright red and gripped the bedclothes in his fists, as if he couldn't quite believe what Severus had told him.

"My lord? Is there anything else you wish to know?"

"Um, why don't I get hard like Viscount Malfoy was?" Harry asked at last, still blushing.

"Well, now that you've had your first wet dream, I daresay normal erections aren't that far off either. Having an erection means you are aroused or sexually excited. It's perfectly normal for human males. You have no need to feel ashamed or embarrassed."

"I know." Harry nodded. "But it's not really talked about, is it?"

"As I have discovered. Humans are a strange breed of creature that don't even seem to discuss these matters with their children. Sex is a normal part of life, young master."

"But apparently not until you're married. If I'd really been a girl and someone had caught me with Malfoy without a chaperone, would I really have been disgraced like he said?"

"From what I have gathered in my time here, it certainly seems that way. But, whatever happened with Malfoy was not your fault. He was the one in the wrong not you. I should have been clearer. _Consensual_ sex between two people is part of life, but rape should play no part. Rape is when someone forces you to have sex if you don't want to."

"So why would the woman have been in disgrace?" asked Harry, sounding indignant. 

"Some people are still very backward in the human world. A lot of countries, your own included, seem to put a very high price on purity or virginity, especially among the nobility. I think it stems from the fact that if the woman is a virgin when she marries, then the heir will definitely belong to the husband. I think it was the Roman influence. Before that, a woman's fertility was highly prized and it was unusual to marry a woman who wasn't yet pregnant or already had children."

"And do men have to stay virgins before marriage too?"

"It is not expected, no. After all, men aren't the ones who can get pregnant, are they?"

"That's such a double-standard! So, if Hermione had a lover, no one would want to marry her afterwards? That's so unfair!"

"Unfair and strange," Severus agreed.

"So if all the well-bred young ladies are meant to be with chaperones and stay virgins, where do men find women to have sex with?"

"Well, not every man would seek out a woman, you understand," said Severus, wondering how Harry would take that news.

"You mean men go with other men? But how?"

"There are many ways men can find pleasure with each other," Severus said. "They can pleasure each other with their hands, or rub against each other to reach completion. Some find that putting their cock between the thighs of their partner is quite pleasurable. Mouths can also be used for pleasure as well as the unspoken act."

"The unspoken act? What's that?" Harry asked, putting his hand over his mouth as he yawned.

Oh, how Severus wanted to show him! His cock ached with the fantasy of it, to be buried deep inside his young master. But it was too soon. Harry was nowhere ready for any sort of intimacy with someone else, never mind that one.

"Something you're too young to know about. It is getting late, young master. You need your sleep."

"But you'll tell me about it, won't you? One day?" Harry asked as he settled himself on the pillows.

"One day, my lord, if you wish it."


	8. Chapter 8

**Part 8**

Professor Binns could make even the most blood-thirsty battles sound boring. His voice was a low monotone that just droned on and on and on and on. Harry placed his hand over his mouth to catch the third yawn in as many minutes.

"Am I boring you, Master Harry?" Professor Binns still called him Master Harry, even though that now Harry was the head of the household, he was no longer Master Harry. Binns tapped his pointer against the easel that they were using as a makeshift blackboard, the pointer settling on the coast of South America. Binns had drawn a very detailed map of the world on it and Harry was impressed at the man's artistic skill, even if the rest of his teaching methods left a lot to be desired.

"I'm sorry, sir," replied Harry. "I'm just tired, not bored. I had a very disturbed night." That was the understatement of the year. Harry had woken at odd hours during the night, his mind never far from the talk with Severus and wondering what Severus had found out about Lucius Malfoy when he'd searched the mansion. But it was Severus' talk which kept him awake for so long. Harry had no idea before that talk that men went with other men. But now that he knew, he couldn't stop thinking about it. Is this why he'd been so vehement in his denial of marriage? Had Harry somehow known something different about himself? Harry couldn't stop thinking about another's hand on him, touching him, stroking him gently, not like Malfoy. Harry wanted these imaginary touches and he knew who it was he wanted touching him.

It was Severus in all his fantasies, which surprised him at first, but when he thought about it further, he knew it couldn't have been anyone else. After all, Severus was the only person he'd allowed to touch him for years now. Harry couldn't imagine anyone else touching him or being comfortable enough with anyone else to be naked in their presence.

Last night, Harry had shied away at first from Severus' touches as he was bathed, but that was just an after-effect from the shock and adrenaline of what Malfoy had almost done. Harry knew that Severus wouldn't hurt him, at least not yet. Not until the contract was fulfilled, but who knew how long that was going to be? They were still nowhere near finding out who had murdered his parents or who had ordered his abduction. So, for now, Harry trusted Severus more than he trusted anyone in the world.

Tonight, Harry wouldn't shy away from Severus' touches. Harry was anticipating his bath and the touches that Severus would give him during it. He yearned for it, ached for it with that squirmy feeling which he now knew was the beginning of sexual excitement. Harry shifted in his chair as he felt the arousal build low down in his belly and at the base of his cock, making his face heat and his hands clammy. There was no schoolroom in the London house and Harry didn't allow anyone else except Severus into his study, so they used the dining room for lessons. He was just glad the tablecloth hid his lower body from view.

Binns removed his pocket watch from his waistcoat pocket and glanced at the time. "We've half an hour before our lesson is due to end, but how about we finish early just this once?" Binns smiled, making him seem a different man altogether, for Harry would never have expected him to allow lessons to finish early. "It'll give you time to catch up on some sleep. Just read the next two chapters and I'll see your Thursday as usual for our next lesson."

"Thank you, Professor Binns."

"No need to thank me. A growing lad needs his rest." Binns gathered up his books, papers, pens and ink before placing them in a battered leather satchel. He marched to the door, his hand hovering over the doorknob, but he didn't open it, he turned back to Harry instead.

"Forgive me if I'm speaking out of turn, my lord, but why are you still having school lessons? Now that you've taken over the Potter businesses, I take it you weren't thinking of entering university?"

No, I'm not going to university. I wouldn't have time." Harry didn't bother to enlighten his teacher any further than that. Not only did Harry have businesses to run, he was working for the queen as an undercover agent and at the same time investigating his parents' death and his own abduction. Being at university would take up too much time. "Nevertheless, I do still want an education. Knowledge is never wasted even if I don't intend to sit for any entrance exams."

"So true, so true," said Binns with a nod of his head. He took his leave and Harry was left alone in the dining room.

Harry leaned across the table, resting his head on his arms and settled down for a nap. He was feeling too tired to even attempt the three flights of stairs to his bedroom. It wasn't long before he drifted off, his imaginings of being touched tenderly following him into his dreams.

***

"Young master." Severus' voice had Harry jerking awake on his chair.

"You startled me," said Harry, rolling his shoulders to try and ease some of the stiffness.

"Allow me," said Severus, tugging his gloves off with his teeth and setting them down on the table. Harry's eyes were drawn to the pentagram on Severus' left hand, the match to the one in his own eye and he shivered. Severus stood behind Harry and placed his hands on Harry's shoulders, kneading them with his fingers. Harry moaned and slumped forward, almost going boneless at Severus' touch. Even through the layers of his jacket and shirt, Harry could feel his skin react to the demon's touch. A few more minutes of this and Harry would be asleep again. "I'm fine. That's enough," Harry said, more brusquely than he intended, waving Severus' hands away from him.

"Very well," Severus said, straightening up and removing his gloves from the table. Once he'd put them back on, he pushed a trolley over to the table. "I've brought some elevenses, young master."

Harry glanced eagerly at the silver dome, wondering what treats it had in store for him. Severus always served him something sweet at this time of day, normally commenting on how a growing boy needed the energy. Today though, Severus never mentioned anything about Harry growing at all, he just removed the cloche with a flourish and stood with it in his hand. "Today, we have tea-cakes, lemon meringue pie and hot chocolate."

Harry wrinkled his nose. He'd never been a great fan of chocolate. "I'd prefer tea rather than chocolate, but thank you, Severus."

"I'm only doing my duty. Is there anything else you require, my lord?"

"Yes!" Harry snapped. "Stop hovering about and sit down. You're like an overgrown bat like that."

Severus chuckled, a loud, deep sound that made all the hairs on Harry's body stand on end.

"A bat, my lord? How amusing. My wings, as you know, are nothing like a bat's. They're not leathery at all, but fine and silky. Soft to the touch." Severus' words had turned into a seductive whisper and it was all Harry could do not to jump from the table and mash his lips against those of his butler until he could find out for himself how soft Severus' wings really were. "As for your invitation, I'm afraid I must decline. It wouldn't be proper for a butler to sit at table with his master."

"Don't be ridiculous! We're the only ones here, who's going to know? And anyway, I'm not asking you to sit as my butler. I'm asking you to sit as my fellow agent. I need to know what you found out about Malfoy last night and I don't want a crick in my neck the whole time I'm talking to you. Why are you so tall anyway?" Harry grumbled; his own lack of height had always bothered him.

"Well, since we can't allow my master to be uncomfortable, it seems I will to have to comply with his wishes." Severus smiled, his eyes flashing red for a few seconds before he slid into the chair opposite Harry with an easy grace that Harry envied. Harry had always been a bit clumsy, knocking things over or bumping into them. Severus was staring at him and Harry blushed again, remembering their talk of the night before.

"What do you wish to know, my lord?"

"Is Viscount Malfoy involved in these terrible murders?"

"It doesn't seem so. Not from the correspondence I managed to see. That's not to say he is completely innocent. He is involved in something."

"Do you have any of the letters? Did you manage to steal them?"

"No, my lord. I didn't get time before I realised you were in danger. Keeping you safe would always be my first priority, even before any duty to the crown."

Harry felt warmth at Severus' words. Until that time that the contract was fulfilled, he would always have a protector.

"Do you remember anything about them?" Harry asked.

"Vaguely, they were written in code and I hadn't time to decipher much, but most of them were concerned with a target who frequents a brothel in Cleveland Street."

"So Malfoy is after prostitutes?"

"Ah, no, my lord. Cleveland Street caters to a different sort of clientele. It's a brothel for men who like men."

"Oh. I see. But there haven't been any murders of male prostitutes, have there?"

"No, whatever Malfoy and his associates are up to, I think it is something to do with the client of the brothel. Perhaps they wish to blackmail him."

"So, we need to visit this brothel, discreetly and see if we can find out who their target is and warn him."

"It's not a good idea for you to become involved in this, young master."

"As an agent of the queen, it's my duty! You don't expect me to sit back and let Malfoy blackmail this man, whoever he is?"

"You have no need to become involved, my lord. I will visit the brothel and find out what I can. You will stay away where it's safe."

Severus was being more evasive and cryptic than usual.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "What aren't you telling me? You're hiding something, what is it?"

"All the letters had one thing in common. A watermark, hardly visible to the human eye, but I could discern it easily."

"What was it?" Harry asked, his heart thudding hard against his ribcage. He knew, even before Severus answered. He knew what that mark was going to be.

"It was a skull and a snake. The same symbol they used to mark you, my lord."


	9. Chapter 9

**Part 9**

Severus removed his jacket, hung it on the peg behind the bathroom door and got ready to draw his master's bath. Harry had been subdued for most of the day after Severus' revelations that Malfoy may have been involved in the murder of his parents. Harry's fourteenth birthday was only a few days away, which would also mark the fourth anniversary of his parents' deaths and his own abduction. No wonder he was feeling subdued. His dinner had barely been touched, even though Severus had made his favourite steak and kidney pie for dinner and rhubarb crumble for dessert. Harry had just played with his food and didn't eat much of it at all.

Severus poured the last bucket of water into the bath, removed his gloves, rolled up his shirt sleeves and tested the temperature with his elbow. Just right for Harry, as he knew it would be, he'd had enough practice at it by now. Severus returned to the bedroom where he saw Harry sitting by the window with a book in his lap, but he wasn't reading it. Harry's attention was on whatever was going on inside his head, not what was in the pages of a book.

"Your bath is ready, young master," said Severus.

"Thank you." Harry set his book on the windowsill and jumped down from his chair. Severus could feel some nervous energy emanating from his master and wondered why Harry seemed to be looking forward to his bath. Harry preceded Severus into the bathroom and stood waiting for Severus to undress him as he normally did. But Harry wasn't standing still today. He was jumping from foot to foot, as if he was trying and failing to contain some sort of excitement. Harry's face was flushed and his eyes glittered, the emerald almost obscured by the dark, wide pupils.

"I want you to touch me," Harry blurted out, as if he couldn't keep the words in any longer. "When you bathe me."

"I always touch you when I bathe you, my lord," Severus said, trying not to smirk. It amused him to tease his master.

"Not just washing," Harry said, waving to his groin. There was a distinct bulge at the crotch of Harry's short trousers. Had he been thinking about this all day? Getting excited the nearer to bath time it was? "I want you to touch me there and I don't mean to wash me."

"Are you sure you're ready for that? What Malfoy did…"

"You saved me. Malfoy didn't get to do anything. I didn't want Malfoy to touch me. But I want you to touch me, Severus. Only ever you."

Oh, Harry's words were heady indeed, speaking directly to that possessive part of him and as much as Severus thought he shouldn't touch Harry intimately like this so soon after Malfoy's assault, he knew he couldn't deny his master this. He didn't want to. It had been too long without sustenance and here Harry was offering himself up on a silver platter. Severus would have been a fool to refuse and he was no fool.

"Very well, young master." Severus knelt down and unbuttoned Harry's blue jacket, before slipping the garment from his shoulders. Next, the ribbon tie around his neck, then Severus started on the buttons of Harry's shirt. Harry trembled as Severus made sure to caress each patch of skin as it was revealed. When the shirt was mostly unbuttoned, but still tucked into the waistband of Harry's shorts, Severus lowered his head and kissed each nipple in turn. Harry moaned and grabbed handfuls of Severus' hair, the pain arousing Severus to such an extent that he had to moan too.

How sweet his human tasted! Sweat, with an underlying hint of musk and lust that Severus inhaled like air. There was no trace of Lucius Malfoy left on Harry now, just his own scent and how Severus revelled in it.

"Oh! _Severus_!" Harry gasped and arched his hips, his groin grazing Severus' chest.

Severus had to get more of that taste, more of that scent. He kissed his way down Harry's chest, sucking hard, knowing that if he was going to leave any marks or bruises on his master's body, the chest was a good place, as they would be hidden beneath Harry's clothes. Harry was mewling and trembling in Severus' arms, as if he wasn't quite sure what was going to happen. Severus lapped at Harry's navel like a kitten at a bowl of cream, but no cream had ever tasted this good.

Severus let his tongue wander lower, down to the waistband of Harry's shorts. The fabric was tented with Harry's erection and a wet patch the size of a coin was on the front of it. Harry's scent was enough to drive him mad. Severus made short work of the buttons on Harry's shorts and yanked them down his legs, leaving Harry standing in his drawers, his shirt half-off, trousers puddled around his ankles. Harry's eyes were half-closed, inky eyelashes dusting his cheeks. His face, neck and the top of his chest were flushed with blood and arousal.

Severus caressed Harry's erection through the linen of his drawers and Harry yowled like a tomcat, his fingers on Severus' hair tightening again. "You're very responsive to my touch," Severus said, chuckling. "I like that."

"Please!" Harry panted. "Please!"

"Please what?"

"Please do something!"

"As you wish, young master." Severus pulled down Harry's drawers so they lay on top of Harry's shorts and gasped in appreciation at the sight. It wasn't the first time Severus had seen Harry's cock, of course, but it was the first time he had seen it in its erect state and what a sight it was! Harry was quite long and quite wide in girth, given his stature and Severus licked his lips as a crystal drop of fluid dripped from the tip. It was no good; he had to taste from the source. Severus pressed a soft kiss on the end of Harry's cock before licking and kissing his way all along the shaft. Harry was making constant noises now, grunts and moans as Severus did his best to drive the young man to distraction.

Severus continued to lavish the shaft of Harry's cock with soft licks and kisses until he could take no more, for he was teasing himself as well as Harry with these caresses. Severus' own cock was hard and throbbing against the placket of his trousers. He'd wanted to suck Harry's cock, feel Harry's essence fill his mouth and throat, but not now. His cock was demanding more. It had been so long since he'd last fed on a willing human lover. He needed to _thrust_ to _possess_.

"Step out of your clothes, my lord," Severus suggested, his voice a hoarse rasp.

"You've just had your mouth on my cock, call me Harry."

"Very well, Harry. Step out of your clothes."

Harry obeyed, holding onto Severus' shoulders to steady himself as he lifted each leg in turn and stepped out of his shorts and drawers. Once he'd done that, Severus lifted each foot so he could remove Harry's stockings. He left Harry's half-buttoned shirt on, it was quite erotic to catch glimpses of Harry's pale skin through the fabric, a hint of pink at his nipples. Severus piled Harry's discarded clothes into a makeshift cushion and pushed Harry to his knees on it.

"Turn around and face the wall. Lean forward a bit and brace your hands it."

Harry did as instructed, angling his head around and grinned. "You're not going to put a corset on me again, are you?"

"Not today, young master. Now turn around and face the wall."

Harry complied, his whole body quivering. Severus was treated to a glimpse of Harry's pale buttocks peeping below the hem of his shirt tail. He wondered how they'd look marked with red hand-prints, but he was in too much sexual need to dwell on the thought for long. Severus used demon magic to rid himself of his garments, too impatient to go through the human motions of undressing.

Once naked, he grabbed hold of Harry's hips, loving the contrast of his black nails against Harry's paler skin. "Widen your legs a bit, Harry. I'm going to put my cock between your thighs. When you feel it, tighten your legs around it."

Harry nodded, widening his stance as he did so. Severus wasted no time in pressing his hips forward, his cock sliding between the silk of Harry's thighs, hissing in pleasure when Harry snapped his hips shut and Severus cock was nestled between them. This was the nearest an incubus would ever get to heaven. Severus moaned in bliss as he began to thrust between Harry's legs. He could feel his cock slide underneath Harry's bollocks so he tried to rein himself in, for he had no desire to hurt his human.

But it had been so long since he'd fed and with the scent of Harry's arousal all around him, Severus instincts took over and he gave into his demon nature. Severus allowed the sensations to claim him and was rougher with Harry than he'd first intended. His hands gouged into Harry's hips, leaving little half-moons of his nails on Harry's skin. Severus wanted nothing more than to stay between Harry's legs for eternity but at the same time his body ached with the want of release. But it wouldn't happen. Not yet. Even incubi had to obey the laws of the universe and there was one law an incubus couldn't break.

If they coupled with humans, they couldn't come, not until the human they were with did.

Severus moaned in frustration and reached around with his left hand to grab hold of Harry's hard and leaking cock. "I need you to come, Harry. You must come," Severus whispered against Harry's neck.

What? I don't understand."

"Like when you had your dream. When your seed comes out."

"Oh!" Harry moaned and bucked his hips. "My cock feels funny."

"Sore? Am I hurting you?" Severus' loosened his grip and stopped thrusting for a moment.

"No, just strange. Like it's waiting for something to happen."

"And it will. Your body wants to come, Harry. Just relax and let it happen. It feels good, doesn't it?" Severus wrapped his hand around Harry's cock once more and began to stroke it in rhythm with his own thrusts between Harry's thighs. How wonderful it felt to be nestled against that silken skin! His own human, this pleasure to be had whenever they felt like it.

Harry arched backwards, groaning as he met Severus thrust for thrust, both their movements becoming more and more erratic. The cock in Severus' hand seem to throb, Harry threw back his head and _howled_. "Severus! Severus! Oh! Oh! Ahhhh!" Harry's voice cracked on the last word as Severus' hand was bathed with Harry's seed. It dripped from his hand to land on Harry's clothes and on the tiles of the bathroom floor. Harry's legs tightened as he rode out his orgasm and it was enough to send Severus hurtling over the edge of pleasure too.

"Harry!" Severus moaned as the climax tore through him, seeming to encompass every part of his body, not just his cock and balls. Severus' cock pulsed and spilled between Harry's legs in a seemingly never-ending stream. Severus could do nothing but scream his ecstasy as he waited it out, his whole body trembling with aftershocks.

"Severus? Are you all right?" Harry turned his head again, a frown of worry marring his features.

Severus lifted his hand and licked it free of their combined seed. "I'm fine, my lord. More than fine. This is a great gift you have given me."

"A gift?"

"Yes. Your unconditional surrender to my touch. Now, you're truly mine."

"I was always yours, Severus. The contract says so."

"This is different. I'm an incubus, young master. I feed on sexual energy. You have sated me. Now I don't need to seek out another human to feed from." Severus had been reluctant to do that in any case, even though he thought he might have to. Now there was no danger of him seeking out another to slake his needs. Harry's sexual aura was strong; it pulled Severus like scented flowers called to bees. There was no turning back now, for either of them. Maybe Severus should have expected this, but Harry had been a child when they first met and had no sexual aura to speak of. Now, with Harry's ripening maturity, that was no longer the case. And, Harry's fruit, once tasted, was impossible for Severus to resist.

He was now Harry's as much as Harry was his.


	10. Chapter 10

**Part 10**

"Harry, dear, so lovely to see you! Happy Birthday!" Aunt Jane pecked him on the cheek, and then waved her hand for Hermione to do the same. Harry suffered the treatment stoically as usual, but he would have much preferred it if his aunt hadn't been so tactile. Every time she spoke to him, she touched his arm or his shoulder when making a point and Harry had to force himself not to grimace every time it happened. Today she was swathed in layers of lilac taffeta and lace with a hat to match, a purple feather bobbing up and down every time she moved her head. Hermione was more sedate in a gown of dove grey; Harry knew his cousin was unlike most young ladies and didn't care for fashion at all. He smiled to himself, wondering what Hermione would have made of that awful pink ball gown, which she had supposedly worn to the Malfoy ball.

"Ah, a smile! Wonderful to see you bearing up, Harry. Unfortunately your uncle Rupert couldn't get away for your birthday tea today. There's some to-do in the House about these terrible murders and he had to go in. Have you heard the latest? They're calling him the Ripper because of what he does to those poor girls."

"Mother, Harry doesn't want to hear about all that on his birthday. It's not a very pleasant topic of conversation." Harry didn't contradict Hermione, but the truth was he was eager to find out as much as possible about the murders. The newspapers hadn't been much help, they were just sensationalist, salacious reports, as if the writers had enjoyed writing about every bit of violence the murderer had inflicted on those women. Harry stifled a shudder.

Aunt Jane patted Hermione's arm. "Of course, dear, you're right." Jane surveyed the hallway, nodding in approval. "The house always looks so perfect. Not an ounce of dust anywhere. That Severus must be a godsend for you, Harry. Make sure you keep hold of him once you go back to the manor. You are going back, aren't you?"

"Soon, hopefully. I still have some business to attend to in London for a while yet." On the morrow he and Severus were going to pay a visit to the Cleveland Street brothel and see if they could find the man Malfoy was attempting to blackmail, or whatever other nefarious purpose he was up to. Of course, Severus didn't know yet that Harry was determined to accompany him, but Harry thought that was information best brought up when Severus couldn't do anything to stop him. Harry was determined on his course and nothing Severus could say would get Harry to remain behind.

"Tea is ready in the dining room, my lord." Severus had appeared in the hallway so silently that Harry almost jumped when he heard his voice. That wasn't the only reason for his jitters around Severus. Harry couldn't stop thinking about what had happened between them those few nights ago and he wondered when it would happen again. Soon, if the hungry look in Severus' eyes was any indication.

"Thank you, Severus. Aunt Jane, allow me?" Harry held out his arm to escort his aunt into the dining room. She tittered like a much younger woman and allowed it.

"You're always so polite, Harry, unlike my brother. I suppose it must be Lily's influence on you. James was a bit of a tear away and never wanted to do what he was supposed to. I've lost count the number of tutors and governesses he went through, none of them could stick it out for very long. He settled down when he went to Oxford though. The dons wouldn't have taken any of his nonsense." By now they'd reached the dining room and Harry wondered if his aunt talked so much because she couldn't stand silence. She hardly seemed to take a breath between words.

Severus pulled out the chair for Hermione, while Harry did the same for his aunt and didn't sit down until his two female guests were seated. The good china was already on the table, side plates, cups and saucers at each place. They each were white with a pattern of blue roses around the side with gilt edges. Severus had shaped blue napkins into swans, which Aunt Jane was quick to enthuse over. "Oh, this is wonderful! Your butler is a man of many talents, Harry. Wherever did you find him? You used an agency, I suppose?"

Harry nodded, feeling guilty at the lie, but knowing he couldn't very well tell her the truth. That Severus was as far from being a _godsend_ as you could get. Once they were all settled in their chairs, Severus brought over cake stands, each brimming with sandwiches, miniature dainty iced cakes, scones, cream and jam, along with a large china teapot. Severus poured tea for the duchess and Hermione first, before standing behind Harry and filling his cup. Harry felt his face heat, knowing that Severus was so close and if he reached out he could touch Severus' gloved hand. Hands that had pinched his nipples. Hands that had stroked his cock until Harry was crying out and spilling his pleasure over them. Harry shifted, trying to ease the pressure on his groin but he could do nothing about the blush that stained his cheeks.

"You look a bit flushed, Harry dear. I hope you're not coming down with anything. Our cook was in bed for three weeks with influenza a while back."

"I'm fine, Aunt. Just a bit overheated. It's this unseasonable weather, too hot for my taste. Please, do help yourselves. There's more if you want it. Severus has made enough to feed a small army."

Jane selected a few sandwiches along with some scones; Hermione chose some of the iced cakes to go with her sandwiches, but she just moved them around the plate without tasting anything. Jane didn't seem to think there was anything amiss with her daughter and set to her food as if she hadn't been fed in years. Harry too, picked at his food, but he did eat more than Hermione did. It was delicious, as always, Severus was an excellent chef. Severus seemed to excel at whatever he tried his hand at. And thinking of those hands shot another spike of arousal through him. How Harry wished they were alone!

"So, Harry," Aunt Jane dabbed her mouth with the napkin and set it aside, a smear of red jam darkening the fabric. "I've been discussing it with the duke, and we're both of the opinion that it's time to think about yours and Hermione's engagement."

Harry choked on a piece of a cake and spluttered crumbs all over the table. Severus was quick to wipe them away. "Surely it's not that much of a shock, dear? Have you given some thought to any suitable young ladies?"

"Oh, I thought you meant that Hermione and I should become engaged."

Jane laughed. "No. I know you two like each other, but I don't think you two would be the best match for each other. I've already had a few offers for Hermione, but I thought I'd run them past you, to see if you think they're suitable or not."

"Oh? You've had offers already?"

"Yes, the first one from Viscount Malfoy's son, Draco is it?"

Harry was glad he'd stopped eating or he'd have had another choking episode. "No, you should discount him at once. I have it on good authority that he likes Lady Pansy Parkinson, the match wouldn't be happy and I want my cousin to be happy. Who else?"

"Oliver Wood, he's the son of a Scottish baronet, but they'd want Hermione to move to Scotland for most of the year. I'm not sure I'd want her so far away from me. Have you heard anything untoward about the family?"

"Nothing springs to mind. Is there anyone else nearer home, perhaps?"

"Yes, Cedric Diggory. He's only a knight's son, but he's Hermione's favourite of the bunch. They met at a tea dance at the Savoy. He seems personable enough, very pleasant."

"His father is Sir Amos Diggory?" Harry asked.

"Yes, that's right. Have you met him?" 

"A while ago, he used to come to parties at the manor when my parents were alive. I think my father had some business dealings with him. Sometimes he brought Cedric along and he used to play with me while the adults sorted things out. He seems nice enough and if Hermione likes him, that's all the better, isn't it?"

Jane nodded. "If only it was as easy at that. It's Rupert we'll have to convince, but if you're behind the match too, that can only work in our favour. If you'll excuse me a moment, I just need to powder my nose."

Severus pulled out Jane's chair for her and stood waiting while she exited the room. "Severus, could you leave us too? I'd like to talk to my cousin for a moment."

Severus bowed, his right hand across his chest. "Of course, my lord. Please ring if you have need of me."

As soon as the butler had left, Hermione threw her napkin down on the table, her face blotchy. "Has it never occurred to anyone to ask _me_ if I want to get married? Mother and Father are going over these offers and deciding who should be my husband! I just said I liked Cedric to get them off my back! I don't want to marry anyone!"

"Well, what do you want to do?"

"I want to go to the London School of Medicine for Women and train to be a doctor. Do you know how many women die because they don't want to be examined by a man? Or that their husbands refuse to let a male doctor examine them? There needs to be more female doctors, Harry, and I want to be one of them."

"Have you told Cedric or your parents this?"

"Of course not! They wouldn't allow it. A duke's daughter going to medical school alongside the middle classes? Having to treat all patients, poor and titled alike? They'd never let me do it. Of course, I can't even apply until I'm eighteen, so I've got more four years of trying to fend off suitors at the same time."

"Couldn't you marry Cedric and still train as a doctor? If he understood how important it was to you?"

Hermione shook her head. "You have no idea how hard it is for women, do you, Harry? It doesn't matter who I married, they could forbid it and there would be nothing I could do. Once married, I become my husband's property, like a table or a lamp. I'm chattel, Harry, with no more say than a carpet. My husband could beat me, starve me, lock me up and it is well within his legal rights to do so. He would own me and whatever he does, I can't complain, the law would be on his side."

"But that's terrible! They can't do that, surely?"

"They can. I don't want to marry anyone, Harry, but since I'm a girl, I don't actually get a say in it."

Harry reached across the table and squeezed Hermione's hand. "We'll think of something, Hermione. I promise you."


	11. Chapter 11

**Part 11**

Harry flopped onto the sofa in the drawing room and stretched his arms above his head. He saw Severus looking at the way his shirt rode up, revealing a small patch of skin. "I thought they'd never leave!"

"Do you not care for your aunt and cousin, then?" Severus asked.

"You know I do. They're nothing like the Dursleys," Harry said. "I just wanted them to go so we could be alone."

"I know." Severus smirked at him. "I could smell you, even from the kitchen. Your desire for me is quite heady, you know. I could sense how aroused you were. I'll always sense it."

"Well, what are you doing standing over there for, then? You know what I want."

"Cake? Tea? Another scone, perhaps?" Severus' grin got even wider and he made no move to come any closer to Harry.

Harry sat up straight and pulled his shirt down. "Do you want me or not? I'm not in the mood to be teased." Harry didn't want to word it as an order; he didn't want to invoke the contract in order to get Severus to touch him.

"Always, young master," Severus replied in a serious tone. "At times I am hard pressed not to grab you and ravish you where you stand. Do you know how much self-control it took when I felt your desire in the dining room? I wanted to ignore the guests. I wanted to throw all the china from the table and thrust you on top of it."

"Oh God!" All the blood in Harry's body seemed to pool in his groin at Severus' words, his cock thick and heavy between his legs. "Severus!" Harry wailed and even before he'd quite finished the word, Severus was there, mashing his lips hard against Harry's. Harry moaned into Severus' mouth, arching his body towards that of his demon, his clothes feeling far too restricted. He wanted skin. He needed skin. "Off!" Harry gasped as he pulled their mouths apart for the brief time it took to say the word, tugging on Severus' coat.

"So eager, my master?" Severus whispered against Harry's neck as he continued to pepper Harry's skin with a necklace of butterfly kisses.

"Yes!" Harry hissed, widening his legs to better accommodate the erection that was tenting the fabric at his groin. His hands curled, claw-like, around Severus' shoulders as he clung on.

"What is it you wish, my lord?" Severus asked, pausing in his kissing of Harry to tug his gloves off with his teeth. The contract mark on his left hand was glowing in the afternoon sunlight.

"Anything, Severus, please! Touch me!"

Harry _ached_. Oh, how he ached!

Severus smiled. "As you wish, I've wanted to taste you for while." Severus' deft hands made light work of the buttons on Harry's shorts and in a few moments, he had Harry's cock out and bared to his red-eyed gaze. "Beautiful," said Severus, flicking moisture from the tip and licking it off his fingers.

Harry moaned wordlessly and arched his hips. He needed more, much more. Severus smiled at him before lowering his head and sucking Harry's cock down to the root. Harry yowled and grabbed handfuls of Severus' hair, feeling as if he might float off the sofa at the wonderful sensations. Severus' mouth was so hot around him, so wet. Harry was more fully enclosed than he'd ever been with a hand around his shaft. "Severus!" he screamed, yanking yard on Severus' hair as the tension coiled in his belly, tighter and tighter. Severus sucked and licked his cock, using a hint of teeth and Harry knew he wasn't going to endure this pleasure much longer. Harry's hips seemed to take on a life of their own, they just couldn't keep still and he was arching and thrusting, trying to get more of his cock into Severus' mouth. After one particularly large thrust, Harry felt the tip of his cock slide down Severus' throat and just the thought of it was enough to send him hurtling over the edge. His cock pulsed and he shot his release down Severus' throat, Severus still sucking madly, as if he couldn't get enough of Harry's taste.

Harry was getting light-headed, he forgot to breathe, his grip on Severus' hair slackened as he passed out.

When he opened his eyes once more, Severus was standing over him with a glass of water and Harry's clothes were buttoned up properly again. It was almost as if it had never happened and Severus was acting as his butler only.

"Did I imagine that?" Harry asked, waving to his groin.

"No, my lord. I just thought it best to get you respectable again. You have a visitor."

"A visitor? I wasn't expecting anyone. Did my aunt forget something?"

"No. The visitor is Gilderoy Lockhart; he's one of the Queen's butlers. He is most insistent that he see you today."

"Oh, dear. This can't be good if she's sent someone in person." The Queen had never sent any emissary before. All their correspondence had always been by letter. Harry had never met the Queen or any of her household, although he had seen portraits of all of the royal family over the years.

"He's waiting for you in your study. Shall I bring tea?"

"I doubt he'll be staying long, Severus. I get the impression this won't be a social call."

"Very well. Ring for me if you change your mind."

Harry nodded and pushed himself off the sofa. He checked that his jacket and tie were straight by glancing in the window before making his way to the study. It was the first time he felt as if he was an interloper in his own house. Harry pushed the door open and saw Gilderoy Lockhart looking out the window, his back to the room. All Harry could see was a man in a pristine white suit and shoulder-length golden hair. His white-gloved hands were clasped around his back.

"Mr. Lockhart? You wanted to see me?"

Lockhart turned around and it was all Harry could do not to gasp when he finally saw the man's face. It was like looking at a marble statue come to life, for the man's beauty didn't seem quite real. Bright blue eyes, the golden hair, alabaster skin with just a hint of rose in his cheeks and when he smiled, Harry could see the perfect white teeth. But even though the man was handsome, Harry didn't warm to him at all. His eyes were cold, with none of the fire Severus displayed.

"Ah, Lord Potter. How do you do? I'm Gilderoy Lockhart, an emissary of Her Majesty."

"Would you like some tea? I can send for some." Harry didn't sit, he sensed that Lockhart wouldn't want to sit either, for he wasn't standing still, but moving quite a bit, as if he couldn't quite contain all the energy in his body.

"No, thank you. I won't be staying long. The Queen wishes to know how near you are to solving these murders. She doesn't want her subjects preyed upon any longer by this monster, whoever they are. The impure and the unclean must be brought to justice."

"We are following up some leads either tonight or tomorrow." Harry wasn't sure, but he supposed that most people would visit a brothel in the dark. "Solving crimes takes time. Things have to be investigated first."

"As long as you still are investigating and haven't forgotten your duty to Crown and Country."

"I know my duty," said Harry firmly. "The Queen will know when we know something."

"By 'we', I'm assuming you mean your butler?"

"Yes, he has always helped me and he will continue to do so."

"But at what price?"

Harry didn't even answer that one. He didn't think it was any of Lockhart's business what price he'd agreed with Severus. The contract was between Harry and Severus, no one else needed to know what it entailed.

"We'll let the Queen know when we have found some tangible evidence."

"Is that a dismissal?" Lockhart asked, frowning.

"It is. I don't think we have anything else to say to each other, do we?"

"Not at the moment, but I'll be keeping an eye on you, Lord Potter. You and your butler. Just remember that."

Harry could hardly believe that the man was threatening him in his own home. "You should leave now. I trust you can find your own way out?"

"I can. Good day to you, sir."

"Goodbye," said Harry, sighing heavily when the man had left his study. Harry sank into the chair beside his desk and rang the bell-pull next to the wall. Severus arrived a few moments later and bowed.

"You rang, my lord?"

"Yes, Severus. Please bring me some tea and something sweet, not chocolate though. That man has left a bad taste in my mouth."

"He's not a man, my lord. Couldn't you sense it? He has no heartbeat and he has no human scent. I knew as soon as he arrived he wasn't human."

"Is he another demon then, like you?"

Severus laughed. "Hardly like me, young master. Lockhart is an angel."

"An angel? You're having a jest with me, aren't you?"

"No, Harry. He really is an angel."

"But I thought angels had wings and haloes. Don't good people become angels after they die? I thought that's what an angel was."

"No, my Lord. Angels and demons are of the same race of immortal beings, they were never human. They just had better press than demons. Demons have become associated with bad things and angels with good. In their demon form, they do have wings, like I do, but angel wings are white, demon wings are black. But except for the colour of their wings, they are no different. Angels and demons can both do bad things, they can both do good things and both can devour human souls."

"What? _Angels_ devour souls too?"

"Of course. Unfortunately, angels have a very strict code of what is right and wrong. If you do wrong in their eyes, then they will devour your soul when you die, and this is before you get to see the creator. They do not forgive. They do not give second chances. Angels are lawless, they have no contract with the humans they devour and are not bound by the same divine laws as demons, for they have always been the favoured children. They alone of the Immortals have free reign to do what they wish."

"So Lockhart knows you are a demon? He warned me against you."

"I'm almost sure of it. We can easily recognise our own kind among humans. I'd be very careful of him if I were you."

"Don't worry, Severus, I intend to be."


	12. Chapter 12

**Part 12**

Severus wasn't sure that having Harry accompany him to the Cleveland Street brothel was such a good idea, but after that run-in with Lockhart, he felt it was a better option than leaving Harry alone at the London town house. If Harry was with him, Severus could better protect him. Of course, Harry couldn't go as the earl and Severus couldn't go as a butler so they needed disguises again.

Harry was dressed in a brown woollen suit with a cloth cap and a leather eye-patch, instead of the silk he usually wore; they were clothes that had belonged to one of the servant boys. Severus had dressed in the one suit he owned which wasn't black; a dark navy-blue was as bright a colour as he could get away with considering his complexion. Any other colours just tended to make him look sallow and unhealthy, although he was never in danger of dying. But prostitutes were a suspicious breed and tended to avoid those clients they suspected might be sick.

"I'd like to visit Whitechapel before we go to the brothel, my lord, and speak with some of the street girls there. Maybe they've seen something but didn't want to talk to the police about it."

"That's a good idea, Severus. They might be more willing to talk to us than the police."

They'd already decided that they would hire a hansom cab to take them to Cleveland Street, they would just add on a detour to their journey. There was no point in going incognito if they arrived in a carriage with the Potter coat-of-arms on the side of it.

"I'm not so sure you coming with me is such a good idea," Severus said, as he'd been saying all afternoon, but he knew that Harry would not back out. It made Severus feel better about things though, by letting Harry know he was worried. Harry sat beside him on the lightly cushioned bench, with hardly any room between them in the tight confines of the cab.

"It's better than me sitting in the house on my own wondering what you're up to," said Harry, his face flushed with anger.

"Could it be that you are jealous, young master, at what I might get up to in a brothel?"

"Yes!" Harry hissed. "You're an incubus; you crave sex, don't you? And I don't want you having any sort of sex with anyone but me!"

"Duly noted," Severus replied with a smirk, but he was secretly pleased at Harry's possessiveness. Severus could have availed himself of the men who worked at the brothel, but an incubus would get little satisfaction from that sort of encounter. In Severus' experience, a lot of people who sold their body did not actually enjoy sex and if his partner didn't enjoy it, neither did an incubus. Harry's naïve fumblings were a lot more satisfying than even the most skilled prostitute could ever be.

They arrived in Whitechapel just as dusk was falling and the lamp-boys were lighting the first of the lamps. The area of Whitechapel was as different to the square where Harry's town house was as day was to night. Here there were no lovingly tended gardens or lawns, for the tenements opened straight onto the street with no garden in sight. They were close together, making the streets seem narrow and claustrophobic, although Severus had never suffered from that. Dirty, ragged children ran about, laughing and playing with skeleton-thin dogs, as if unaware of their poverty, or not bothered by it. The streets were strewn with rubbish and animal droppings, mostly dog and horse if Severus was any judge.

Severus risked a glance at Harry, who was pale and shaking. "I had no idea," Harry whispered. "How do people live like this?"

"Humans are a very adaptable race," said Severus. "They can cope with a lot if there is no other choice. They have to live like this, or die trying."

"But shouldn't someone help them? Help them find jobs and earn a decent wage?"

"Some do," said Severus. "There are charities to help and also some councils have poor houses, but a lot of people are too proud to accept that they need help. Your own parents left many bequests to city charities to help the poor."

"They'd rather live in squalor?"

"Some, yes." As they walked down the street, glancing down occasionally to make sure they hadn't stepped in anything nasty, a woman appeared from an alleyway. She was not much older than Harry, but her face was caked in make-up and her bosom seemed in danger of falling out of the tightly laced-bodice of her dress.

"Hello, Mister," she addressed Severus. "Are you looking for some company?" Her eyes widened when she caught sight of Harry by his side. "I don't do nowt wi' kids and I don't like doubles. You'd best be going on."

"We just wanted to ask you a few questions," said Severus, using his incubus charm to make sure she wouldn't run. "About the murders of some of your colleagues."

"Are you the police? You don't look like Peelers."

"No, we are investigating privately."

The woman's eyes brightened considerably at that. "Oh! Like Sherlock Holmes? Me Mam used to read me some of his stories before she passed away. I always liked them."

"Something like that," said Severus, giving her a smile to reassure her. 

"So you're not here for business, then? A girl has to eat."

Harry nodded to Severus, who removed half a crown from his pocket. He held it in the air between them as he asked his questions.

"Is there anything you can remember that you forgot to tell the police about?"

"I don't know. What sort of thing?" The prostitute held out her hand and Severus knew they would get no more out of her until she had some coin in her hand. He handed her the half a crown. She might get more, depending on what she could tell them.

"Did you know any of the victims? Did they have anything in common besides their professions?"

"Aye, I knew Annie and Elizabeth. You do know what that monster did to them, don't you?" the woman looked askance at Harry, as if unwilling to reveal it to delicate ears. Harry had heard and endured more than this chit of a girl could ever imagine.

"You need have no fear; my assistant knows all the details of the case." He and Harry had decided between them that it was best Severus took the lead in this particular investigation, as he had an air of authority about him that Harry couldn't match, no matter that he was an earl and heir to one of the great Houses of England.

"Well, he butchered them, took out - took out their women's parts. Their wombs, too. Well, Elizabeth and Annie, they both had babies last year, gave them up for adoption. Having babies isn't good for the trade you see. The customers don't like to see children hanging about, it puts them off. They don't want to know what might happen. They pay to forget about real life, see. Most people would have gone to see old Mother Agnes, she'd sort out the problem quick as you like, but Elizabeth and Annie, they was religious, so they couldn't do that and they went to a home for unmarried mothers. This wasn't just a city poor house or orphanage, but a posh one in the country, where young ladies who've got in trouble go to. I wonder what they would have made of Elizabeth and Annie there!"

"Have you any idea who might have paid for that?"

"I don't know, I'm only guessing mind, but they did have the same caller at one time. His suits was well-made, you could tell he was quality. I think he might have been the father of those babies and it was probably him who paid for their stay in the country."

"Did he seem violent at all, this man?"

"No, gentle as a lamb he was. I had him once when Annie was with someone else. I didn't want to go with him again though. He was one of them repealers, trying to get me to repent my ways and all that. Gave me a bit of the creeps to be honest. Here he was, in the middle of -you know - and spouting all about God and religion at the same time. How the impure and the unclean must repent before it's too late. Repent and do what? Work all hours in some stinking factory with not enough money for food? I does well; I'm good at what I do. I don't want to do anything else."

"And what did this man look like?" Harry demanded. "Did he have fair hair?"

"No, he had black hair and a moustache. Sounded a bit loony though."

"Thank you, you've been most helpful." Severus removed a gold sovereign from his pocket and handed it to the young woman. Her eyes lit up on seeing it. It would probably keep her off the streets for a while, and at less risk from the monster they were hunting, but Severus knew that unless he was caught, then more murders were going to happen. Even if they used all of Harry's fortune, they couldn't keep everyone off the streets. There were just too many in need.

As they made their way back to the hansom, Harry kicked his shoes along the ground, toeing rocks and pebbles away from his feet.

"Young master? Why did you think the man might have had fair hair?"

"It was what she said, about impurity and the unclean. Lockhart had said much the same to me. You said they were lawless, do you think the angel is going around murdering prostitutes because he thinks they're impure?"

"It's certainly a possibility, but angels don't tend to butcher their victims, those whose souls they've decided to devour. The dead person would have no marks on them; they would just look as if they'd died peacefully in their sleep. It does seem a rather strange coincidence, though, that this dark-haired man used the same words as Lockhart. Then again, he could just be a religious fanatic and uses similar words all the time."

"So, we haven’t really found out anything else, have we?"

"I wouldn't say that, my lord. We know that at least two of the victims had children. I think that has some significance, especially with the murderer removing their wombs. There's some tale there, but we won't know what strange focus the killer has until we catch him."

"So, what now?" asked Harry as they arrived back at the cab.

"Now, we go to the brothel and attempt to find out who Lucius Malfoy is trying to blackmail. There's no guarantee either of them will show tonight, but the sooner we start searching, the sooner we may have some information." Severus helped Harry up into the cab before climbing up himself. He patted Harry on the knee, a physical reassurance that things would turn out all right, even though they were far from sure of that.

"Where to?" asked the driver, his whip held aloft.

"Cleveland Street, Fitzrovia."

"Right you are." The driver whipped the horse lightly and set off, the hooves and wheels clattering on the cobbles.

Severus wondered if the man knew what Cleveland Street was, but then decided it wouldn't really matter. The driver didn't know who Harry or Severus were. They had caught the hansom from a taxi rank near Belgravia, so he didn't know Harry's town house address either. There would be no scandal attached to the Potter name tonight, not if Severus could help it.

After all, it was a butler's duty to keep their master's secrets.

And Severus was one hell of a butler.


	13. Chapter 13

**Part 13**

There was nothing to indicate that 19 Cleveland Street was anything other than a private residence. It sat in a terrace of similar houses on one side of the road, while the other side was mostly taken up with a large work house. The work house was walled and gated, reminding Harry of a prison, rather than somewhere you wanted to be. He supposed people didn't really want to be in the work house either. After tonight's adventures, he resolved to talk to his solicitors about setting up some more charities, or extending the bequests his parents had left them. He had been sheltered for far too long and tonight had opened his eyes.

The house was like its neighbours, red brick with tall windows and number 19 had a bright blue door, illuminated from the lamp burning on the porch. Severus marched up the steps, Harry a few inches behind him, and rapped the lion-shaped door knocker against the wood. A few moments later they were greeted by a plump, middle-aged woman dressed in a purple velvet gown with a modesty bodice of black lace across the neckline. Her hair was dark brown, greying a bit at the front and it was pinned to her head in a very complicated style that Harry didn't know the name for or even how she would ever have managed to get it like that.

"Good evening, gentlemen," she said, slate-grey eyes staring at Harry. "You are over fourteen, are you, young man?"

"Of course," Harry said, making sure to keep his accent as refined as possible. She didn't look the sort of woman who would turn away anyone of 'quality', no matter what their age. "I'm afraid I inherited my father's short stature. Quite a to-do in the tailor's every time I go."

"Do come in. I'm Mrs. Greer." The woman opened the door wide and they entered a hallway, dimly lit with spluttering gas lamps. She paused by an open doorway to a richly decorated parlour. "How can I assist you this evening?" 

"We understand that as well as supplying escorts for the evening, you have rooms to rent for a small fee?" Severus asked, clinking his money-pouch.

"So you do not wish to avail yourselves of my employees this evening? They're very good, you know, I only hire the best."

"I am sure of that, madam," said Severus. "But tonight we are just looking for somewhere where we can be alone. We'd like a room facing the stairs, if possible."

"Facing that stairs? What an unusual request."

"We'd be quite happy to pay you extra for anything out of the ordinary, of course."

Mrs. Greer sat down behind a large, mahogany desk and drummed her fingers on it, as if thinking. "I do have such a room. Room fourteen on the second floor, but it's one of my best rooms. If I let you gentlemen have it tonight, it will mean that my employees won't be able to use it this evening. I usually have ten or twelve callers in room fourteen of a night. That's a lot of income to miss out on."

"We are quite happy to reimburse you for any lost fees. How much would cover use of the room for say, four hours?"

"Four hours?" Mrs. Greer's eyebrows shot up to her hairline, as if she couldn't imagine anything going on in her brothel that might take four hours. The trouble was neither Harry nor Severus knew if Malfoy would turn up tonight at all. If he did, they needed to be inside the brothel for quite some time so that they would have a chance of seeing him and his target. "Well, I am of course happy to comply with clients' wishes. Four hours can be done. I think twenty guineas should do most admirably."

It was daylight robbery, twenty guineas for four hours use of a room? It was preposterous, but Harry knew they had no other choice. This was the brothel they needed to be in. He gave a small nod to Severus, who counted out the coins and laid them on Mrs. Greer's desk. Once that was done, she pulled out a desk drawer and removed a large, brass key.

"Room fourteen," she said. "Do you need me to show you up?"

"No, thank you, we can manage. You've been very helpful, Mrs. Greer. I understand you're very discreet as well?"

She nodded vigorously. "Oh, yes. Everything here is confidential. You won't find any scandal-mongering in my establishment."

"Thank you again." Severus took hold of Harry's arm and steered him out the door and pushed him up the first few stairs. After two flights, they arrived at room fourteen, its closed doorway opposite the stairs. Severus unlocked the door and entered the room, Harry following him.

Two oil lamps stood on wooden tables either side of the canopied four-poster bed, which was draped in blue velvet with a matching counterpane. Silk wallpaper with a pattern of bluebirds and flowers adorned the top half of the walls, while the bottom was panelled in a dark wood. The carpet was blue too, with a pattern of small white flowers. There was an intricately carved marble fireplace with candles on the mantel, but both the fire and candles were unlit.

At first glance, the room looked quite sumptuous and luxurious, but on closer inspection the silk wallpaper was faded and ripped in places; the drapes around the bed were dusty and moth-eaten and the carpet had various stains on it that Harry didn't want to consider too much.

"What now?" Harry asked as Severus moved towards the fireplace. Severus waved his hand around in strange gestures and a few moments later, both the candles and fire had flared to life, giving the room a soft orange glow, and the illusion of romance. Harry found it all a bit tawdry and wished they hadn't needed to come here at all. But it was his duty to find out what Malfoy was up to, and if that meant spending time in a brothel, then he was going to spend time in a brothel.

"Now, we wait," said Severus as he moved to the bed. Harry moved to sit down on it, as there were no chairs in the room, but Severus held up a hand to stop him. "A moment, young master. I don't want you catching fleas or lice, or anything else from this dirty bedding." Severus gestured with his hands again; a blue glow enveloped the bed for a few moments then disappeared. Harry had never seen Severus use his demons powers as openly as he did tonight and he had to admit he was very impressed. Lighting candles and cleaning with just some strange gestures? No wonder Severus was able to do the work of many servants combined.

Harry sat down on the now clean bed. It was so tall that his feet dangled over the sides and he couldn't reach the floor. Severus went back to the door of the bedroom and left it ajar before returning to Harry's side and kneeling on the floor in front of him.

"Won't that seem weird?" Harry asked. "Leaving the door open like that?"

"No," said Severus, leaning up to lick Harry's neck. "Some people are exhibitionists and want people to watch what they're doing. It excites them. Anyone who sees us will just assume that."

"But what if Malfoy sees us? Won't he recognise us?" Harry squirmed a bit on the bed; Severus' neck-licking was having an effect much lower down.

"No. I have us both under a glamour. Malfoy will not see the real us. Just two customers."

"Severus! What are you doing?" Harry said, as Severus sucked hard on his neck and had his hands on Harry's waistcoat, trying to undo the buttons. Severus sank back on his heels, smiling ferally.

"My dearest Harry, we are in a brothel. We have to be seen to be normal customers of this establishment, so we need to look like we're doing what people normally do in a brothel."

"Oh? So this is an act?"

"Partly. I also can't wait to get you naked again."

"Not naked!" Harry said quickly, mindful of the half-open door. "I don't want people to see me naked, even if they don't know who I am."

"I am sorry, my lord, that was tactless of me. It reminds you too much of your abduction, doesn't it?"

Harry nodded. "I was always naked there. I hated that they all saw me. They enjoyed humiliating me. I can't do that, Severus, act or not."

"Very well. We'll just stick to some kisses and caresses for now, all right?"

Harry nodded. "That will be all right, I think."

"If it isn't, just let me know and I'll stop."

"I know you will. I trust you." As Harry spoke the words, he had to wonder that in the entire world it was a demon that he trusted to have his best interests at heart. The Dursleys certainly wouldn't have cared. They were probably upset that Harry had survived the fire and turned up just as they were ready to make claims on the Potter inheritance. Harry had no qualms about giving money to charities and to people less well-off than himself, but he wasn't going to allow the Dursleys to get any more of his parents' bequest than they already had. They had plenty of money and property; they were just greedy and wanted more and more.

Severus began to lick and suck at Harry's neck again and soon Harry forgot all about the Dursleys. Harry shifted restlessly on the bed, his cock pressing against the placket of his trousers, but he didn't want Severus to do anything about it here. He was just trying to find a more comfortable position. Severus' gloved hands moved underneath Harry's shirt and he gasped a little as the soft cotton brushed his skin. It wasn't often he felt Severus' gloves on his belly; normally it might have been his cheek or his chin. Harry found it strangely erotic that they were still fully dressed and Severus was caressing him with gloves rather than bare skin against his own.

Harry gasped and almost as if the sound was an invitation, Severus rose up and kissed Harry firmly on the mouth. Harry moaned and grabbed hold of Severus' head, his fingers tightening on the dark strands. Severus teased Harry's lips with his tongue and Harry had no choice but to open his lips more fully. Before he was aware of it, Severus had pushed his tongue into Harry's mouth and tangled with the tongue there. Severus had never done that before. It was a strange sensation to have Severus' tongue in his mouth, it was so big, so hot and wet and Harry groaned anew, arousal spiking in his lower belly.

His cock was aching now, but Severus' hands were nowhere near his groin, they were still caressing him somewhere around his belly-button. Harry was torn, he both wanted Severus to touch his cock and at the same time he didn't, not in a brothel. Before he could give voice to either desire, Severus pulled away and sat back on his heels, his eyes glowing red.

"Severus?" Harry asked breathlessly.

"Ssh, someone's coming up the stairs," Severus whispered. "Pretend you're enjoying my attentions, but keep an eye on the door." Severus latched onto Harry's neck again and Harry didn't need to act. He _was_ enjoying Severus' attentions. His eyes wanted to close to better savour the bliss, but he concentrated on keeping them half-open as he waited for whoever it was to appear at the top of the stairs.

Harry didn't know how long they'd been in the brothel, it could have been minutes, it could have been hours, time was strange when he and Severus shared intimate moments. Their patience was rewarded tonight, however. The white suit and white-blond hair belonged to Lucius Malfoy; beside him were Gilderoy Lockhart and another, dark-haired man. Harry stifled a gasp and waited until they started ascending the staircase to the next floor.

"Harry? What is it? Do you know that other man?" asked Severus.

"I don't know him, but I've seen him. In a portrait. It was Prince Albert Victor! The Queen's grandson!"


	14. Chapter 14

**Part 14**

Despite sharing various intimate interludes with Harry, the young earl had yet to invite Severus to share his bed, so when the summons came in the early hours of the morning, Severus had to go upstairs to wake his master. He had a lit candelabrum in his hand, although the demon himself had no need of it, and he stood for a few moments just watching Harry sleep. Harry's hair lay mussed and tousled on his pillows, he was lying flat on his back, his arms straight out on top of the covers, his fingers curled into fists as though he was fighting something in his sleep.

Severus ventured further into the room and set the candelabra down on the bedside table before leaning over and pressing a soft kiss in Harry's hair. Harry stirred, blinking bleary-eyed up at Severus. The pentagram on his left eye stood out brightly in the darkness.

"Severus? What time is it?" Harry asked, glancing at the darkened windows.

"Just after three, my lord. You've been summoned."

"Summoned?" Harry sat up and yawned, placing a hand over his mouth like the well brought-up young man he was.

"Yes, my lord. There's been another murder. Prince Albert Victor has been arrested, he was found in the streets nearby with blood on his clothes. The Prince of Wales wants to speak to you urgently."

Harry nodded. "Of course. Help me dress, Severus, please. It doesn't matter what."

"Very well, young master." Severus went to the wardrobe and set out a set of clothes for Harry, helping him on with everything. There were no tender looks or lingering touches tonight, just brisk efficiency as Severus got Harry dressed in record time.

The palace had already sent an unmarked coach and driver, so Severus accompanied Harry in the coach, rather than sitting up top and driving him.

"Are the police sure they've got the right man? He didn't seem like a murderer, did he, Severus?" Harry was quiet then, probably thinking of that night almost a month ago when they'd followed the prince, Malfoy and Lockhart from the Cleveland Street brothel. The trio had gone to four more brothels, one catering to men who liked men like Cleveland Street, but the others were more traditional. After that, they'd gone on to some private clubs, a couple of gambling halls and reached the Malfoy residence shortly before dawn, where Severus and Harry had stopped following them.

"They seem to be friends," Harry had said. "Maybe the prince isn't who Malfoy wants to blackmail after all."

Severus had nodded, but he wasn't quite sure. It would be quite the scandal if it were to be discovered that the young prince had frequented brothels which had male prostitutes. Visiting ones with female prostitutes for an unmarried man would have been seen in a different light. Harry had been shocked when he'd seen how young some of the girls were in the brothels and had sought reassurance from Severus. "Please tell me men aren't going to choose anyone that young."

Severus had never lied to his young master, and he didn't intend to start then, so he'd told him the ugly truth. "I'm afraid there is quite the trade in young girls and boys," said Severus. "Many men believe that if they sleep with a virgin, it will cure of them of venereal disease."

"What's that?" Harry had asked. 

"A general term for those diseases which are passed on through sexual contact. Sleeping with virgins to cure it is a myth. It's more likely the customer will just infect more people. It's just an excuse to do what they wanted in the first place, to prey on children."

The coach shifted to one side as it hit a rut in the road and Severus was brought out of his reverie as Harry landed squashed against his side.

"I hate this city!" Harry declared and Severus knew Harry would have gone back to the country long since if he hadn't been so determined to do his duty to the Crown. But what about the Crown's duty to its subjects? Harry's health was failing due to the congested city air, he hardly ate, he hardly slept as he tried to figure out who was killing those women. Severus didn't think it was Harry's responsibility, wasn't that what the police were for? Harry had been through enough, it was time he went home to Hampshire and left the crime-solving up to the detectives, like it should have been all along and Severus had given that opinion to Harry many times, but as yet, Harry had never taken him up on it.

The coach stopped outside the steps of Marlborough House, where two footmen in gilded livery quickly opened the door and helped Harry and Severus down the carriage steps. Standing on the steps, right by the front door was the Prince of Wales himself in pyjamas and dressing gown, tapping his slippered foot impatiently.

Harry and Severus both sketched a quick bow before walking up the steps to meet him. The prince ushered them inside and led them down the corridor to a small study. The room was richly furnished in silk and brocades, but it had a neglectful air, as if the room hadn't been much used. There were no papers, no inks on the smooth surface of the cherry-wood desk, as if it had never been used for day-to-day tasks.

"Lord Harry! So good of you to come!" The prince took both of Harry's hands in his and shook them vigorously. "I didn't know who else to turn to. Mother says your family has been helping the Crown for years."

"Apparently," said Harry. "But I don't know what you are expecting me to do. If Prince Albert Victor has been arrested, surely it's a good lawyer you need?"

"He didn't do it! Albert can be a bit reckless sometimes and he thinks too often of nothing but seeking pleasure, but murder? No, I don't believe it. There must be some mistake! Surely there's something you can do to find out? The police are desperate to catch someone; maybe they've overlooked other evidence and just picked on Albert. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. What was he doing in Whitechapel in the first place? Think of the scandal if this got out, the whole country would be in turmoil! You have to help!"

Severus didn't voice his own opinion; that if Albert Victor was the killer, then prison was the best place for him.

"But how can I help?" Harry asked, frowning.

"I don't know! Anything. Maybe you could go to the Scotland Yard and talk to them or something. Albert has been acting a little bit strange lately, but I don't believe he's capable of murder. I won't believe it!" The prince paced the room, as if he couldn't quite stand still when his mind was in such straits.

"Strange, in what way?" asked Severus.

"Well, lately he's been going out to gambling dens and - " the prince looked askance at Harry, as if unsure to continue. "And whorehouses a lot. He's suddenly become very great friends with one of my mother's butlers, Gilderoy Lockhart and with Viscount Malfoy, when before the two of them couldn't stand each other. My son and Malfoy, I mean. His other friends have fallen by the wayside and he's started going to church every day. Normally you'd have a fight just to drag him out of bed on a Sunday morning, after his excesses of the night before. It's like there are two of him, the man going out gambling and whoring every night and then going to church every day too. It doesn't seem to add up. I think he may have the French disease and it's addled his wits."

"Severus, what do you think?" Harry asked.

"I think we need to visit the police station, my lord and find out what evidence the police have to hold him there. It could be just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and the populace has been scathing recently about the lack of progress in the case. The police want to be seen to be doing _something_."

"Very well," said Harry. He paused by the door to the study. "If, and this is a big if, if we manage to free your son, I want to be free as well. Whatever duty my family owed the Crown has long since been paid. The Queen's Phoenix is retiring."

Severus' eyebrows rose in surprise; he hadn't known his opinions on this would be taken quite to heart by Harry this soon. It was for the best though. Harry's health had to come first.

"What? No! You can't! What will we do? Your family promised to help the Crown whenever it was in need, that's why you were given an earldom. You can't just walk away! We could ruin you!"

"You could," said Harry calmly. "But in turn, I can ruin the monarchy. Do you think that it was only gold and land that got handed down to the Earls of Godric's Hollow? I don't know all the secrets, of course, the ledgers are quite detailed, but I know enough. So, are we in agreement? Your son's freedom for mine?"

The Prince of Wales looked pale and kept rubbing at his chest, as though in pain, but he nodded. "Only if my son is set free."

"We'll see what we can do," said Harry as he left the room with dignity and grace; unlike the prince, who'd collapsed into an armchair like a sack of potatoes.

"My lord, did you mean it? That you no longer want to be their errand-boy? What about your revenge on those who harmed you?"

"Oh, don't worry, Severus. I still intend to investigate my parents' deaths and my abduction, but I won't be beholden to the Crown any longer. I want to be my own man and I will investigate the things _I_ believe are worth pursuing. If the prince did kill those women, I'm not sure I want him set free."

"I'm not sure he did do it, Harry," said Severus as they descended the steps. The carriage and footmen were nowhere in sight now. They'd have to catch a cab to Scotland Yard, although finding one at this hour might be problematic. "At least, not when he was in his right mind."

"Right, the Prince of Wales said something about the French disease, what's that?"

"Another name for syphilis, it's sexually transmitted and one of the symptoms is not being in your right mind. It might fit, except that Lockhart is also in the mix. I think Lockhart may have bewitched him and _made_ him do the murders. A lot easier than getting his own hands dirty."

"Like some sort of spell? But that means Lockhart could do that to anyone, doesn't it? Can all demons and angels do it? Could you bewitch me, Severus?"

"Not you, my lord. The contract does not allow me to harm you in any way, and it would see an attempt to bewitch you as an attempt to harm you. Angels, however, have no contracts and do what they will."

"Hmm," said Harry. "You couldn't bewitch me, but you could bewitch the police somehow? Make them forget they'd ever arrested the prince?"

"It is possible, my lord. I should be able to remove any enchantments placed by Lockhart on Prince Albert too. Because we demons are bound by contracts, as compensation our powers are greater than that of the angels. I should be able to free the prince."

"So you really think the prince did it while under Lockhart's spell?"

"I am almost certain of it. It would amuse Lockhart to use a prince of the realm to commit murder. Lockhart is our murderer. The prince was his weapon."


	15. Chapter 15

**Part 15**

The setting sun lit the roofline of the manor house in shades of umber and gold, which reminded Harry too much of the fire. He closed his eyes as the carriage rolled into the courtyard at the front of the house, where his new staff were lined up to meet him. Severus hopped down from the driver's seat and opened the door to help Harry out of the carriage. Harry couldn't help a small gasp of desire escape as their hands touched, even though they were both wearing gloves.

"My lord, let me introduce you to the Weasley family, who have been looking after the estate while we've been in London. This is Arthur, our new steward and head gardener."

A tall, balding red-haired man, stepped forward from the line and bowed to Harry. "This is Molly Weasley, his wife and the new cook and housekeeper." Molly Weasley was shorter than her husband, she wore a black dress with a white apron over it and had a friendly smile for Harry as she curtseyed to him. "Pleased to meet you, my lord," she said and stepped back.

A tall, stocky red-haired man who could only have been their son, the shade of his hair matched that of parents and his blue eyes sparkled with fun. "This is Charlie, he'll be looking after the horses and the hawks as well as organising any shoots."

Harry stifled a shudder. He knew his father had hunted on the estate, but Harry had never wanted to. But maybe now that he'd returned to the country, he would be expected to host shooting parties as well as balls in order to keep up his place in society.

Severus continued down the line, introducing Charlie's siblings; Bill who would help out with the garden and animals as needed; Percy, who was to be the footman (Harry was not actually sure what a footman did, but Severus seemed to think the house needed one); Ron, around Harry's age who didn't have a set task, but was to help out where needed and Ginny, who was to be the housemaid and help her mother with the cooking.

"Dinner shouldn't be long, my lord," said Molly, dipping a curtsey again.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. I'd just like to freshen up before dinner."

The Weasley family bowed or curtseyed and made their way back into the house. Harry was tired and weary after the week they'd had in London; he was glad to be back in the country, even though terrible memories were trying to crowd his brain. Severus had managed to release Prince Albert Victor from Lockhart's spell, as well as doing something to the police so they'd forget they'd ever arrested him. Prince Albert Victor was in Switzerland for his health, for after Lockhart's enchantments he was a shadow of the man he once was and didn't know which way was up. Lockhart had disappeared, but Harry was convinced they hadn't seen the last of him. There was a tense rivalry between Severus and the angel, so Harry didn't think Lockhart would give in so easily.

There had been no murders since Lockhart disappeared. Since Harry had completed his part of the bargain to release the prince, he was also released from his duties as the Queen's Phoenix and was now free to return to the country.

"Young master, shall I show you to your room?" Severus asked. Charlie and Arthur had returned and were busy bringing down Harry's trunks from the roof of the carriage.

"Yes, thank you, Severus. I'd like a bath before dinner, I think." Harry stared at Severus, hoping his demon knew that he didn't just mean a bath.

Severus grinned at him, his eyes flashing red for a moment or two. Oh, yes, Severus understood that all right.

"Would you like the grand tour first?" Severus asked as he walked alongside Harry to the wide front doors. Harry glanced askance at him, wondering if Severus was teasing him again. It had been weeks since they'd done anything intimate besides kiss and Harry was desperate for something more. He was surprised Severus hadn't initiated anything himself, didn't the incubus need sexual gratification to stay healthy? A sharp stab of jealousy beneath his breast bone made Harry stumble. Severus hadn't been getting his _gratification_ elsewhere, had he?

As they entered the hallway, Harry took a good look at Severus. The demon's hair hung in lank strands around his shoulders rather than shining with its usual lustre. His skin was sallow, almost yellow and his eyes lacked some of their glitter. It looked like Severus hadn't sought out sex elsewhere, it also looked like he needed it but perhaps he was waiting for Harry to request it?

"No tour tonight, Severus. Maybe tomorrow. Do we need to get some hot water sent up?"

"No need, young master. Since the manor was being rebuilt anyway, I took the liberty of arranging some modern conveniences. They were all within budget, of course."

"Of course." Harry tried not to grin. Severus would have the budget memorised right down to the roof tiles or the plants for the garden. "What sort of conveniences?"

Harry heard noises from other parts of the house as the Weasleys busied themselves with their work, but the unexpected noise made Harry startle and he had to place a hand on the banister to steady himself. Severus was next to him in two strides.

"Young master? Harry, are you quite all right?"

"I'm fine. I was just not expecting so much noise. It was quieter in the town house. Go on, you were going to regale me with all the wonders of modern technology."

"Well, for a start the manor now has indoor plumping, so there will be no need for hot water to be carried up and down stairs. There are also indoor water closets, one will be in your bathroom young master, so you won't need to use a chamber pot in the night. Gas lighting in the main rooms and hallways, as well as a gas stove in the kitchen."

"And this was all within budget? I thought gas was very expensive to install."

"Well, I may have used a bit of charm to get a discount for you, my lord."

"As long as it was only charm," Harry said, pouting.

They'd reached the first floor landing; Severus took Harry's hand in his gloved one and kissed the back of it. "My lord, you know I am only yours."

"Are you?" Harry asked petulantly. "You've hardly touched me for weeks."

"I dress and bathe you every day, young master."

"Yes, but that's all you do! I want more, Severus. I need more!"

"What do you suggest?"

"Share a bath with me," Harry said softly. "Touch me like I'm the only one you want to touch."

"You _are_ the only one I want to touch," Severus hissed harshly and pulled Harry towards him for a rough kiss, mashing their lips together as if he couldn't get enough of Harry's taste. Harry moaned and wrapped his arms around Severus' waist, gripping the back of Severus' jacket in his fingers.

"Enough," Severus pulled away, his face flushed, "before I maul you right here."

Harry nodded. "Where's my room?" he asked, having already told Severus that he didn't want to be in the master bedroom, the room that would have once been belonged to his parents.

"This way, young master." Severus took hold of Harry's hand again and almost dragged him down the corridor to a closed door. Once he opened it, Severus pulled Harry inside, closed the door behind him and pushed Harry's body against the wood, holding Harry's hands high above his head in his gloved ones. Severus' eyes were completely red now, the black pupil reverting to its vertical demon form. Harry's breath caught in his throat at the way Severus was staring at him. _Hungry_. Like Harry was a delicious dessert and Severus was just dying for a taste. Harry felt wanted. More than wanted: he felt needed.

"Please," Harry whispered as he closed his eyes and offered himself to his demon, knowing he would accept whatever Severus wanted to give him. Severus sucked hard on Harry's neck, making his knees tremble and his cock pulse in his shorts. It would have been so easy to come like this, without his cock ever being touched. But that wasn't what he wanted, not today.

"Bath," Harry said, the word taking all his willpower, when his body just wanted to let Severus continue to tease and torment him.

"As you wish, my lord." Severus said, letting Harry's hands go and stepping back from him. Harry felt bereft without that strong body against his own. The butler took Harry's hand again and led him to the bathroom. Harry's eyes widened as he took in the large, claw-footed tub that graced the centre of the room. Black and white tiles covered the floor, while the bottom half of the room was panelled in white painted wood. Above the panels was a blue silk wallpaper with patterns of white doves and roses. Harry turned to Severus and smiled. "White roses are my favourite."

"I know, young master, that's why I chose it for you." Severus knelt in front of Harry and began to unbutton his waistcoat.

"No, wait," said Harry, stepping away. "You undress for me first. I want to see you. I never get to see you."

"Very well." Severus turned on the taps of the bath and added some bath salts to the water, the spicy scent of sandalwood drifting through the room as he did so. Harry sat down on the edge of the bath and stared at Severus, almost desperate to see what his demon looked like naked. Harry had felt that body against his countless times now, but it was always from the back, he'd never seen it.

Severus began by tugging off his gloves with his teeth, pulling erotically on each finger. Harry swayed as the lust buzzed through him. How could Severus turn something so mundane into something so hot? Then Severus' hands were bared and Harry could see the contract mark standing so stark against Severus' pale flesh, along with his black-fingered nails.

"What next, young master?" Severus asked, smirking as he threw the gloves casually on the tiled floor.

"Your jacket, waistcoat, then shirt." Harry's voice was a hoarse rasp, his whole body was aflame watching Severus' slow striptease. And it was a tease, Severus seemed to be taking his time with the buttons on his jacket and waistcoat, looking deep into Harry's eyes the whole time. Even though he was still fully dressed, Harry felt stripped bare by that intense gaze and he shivered in desire.

He watched eagerly when Severus was finally down to his shirt, popping each button out of its hole with thin, deft fingers. Harry gasped when Severus pulled the shirt open at both sides, Severus' bare chest revealed to his gaze. Severus was broad-shouldered, with well-defined muscles that Harry hadn't expected from someone so thin. What was surprising too, was that Severus' chest was devoid of any hair and he had no belly-button, just smooth muscles all the way down to the waistband of his trousers. Harry could see Severus' cock tenting the fabric and he licked his lips, almost as if he could taste Severus through the material. "Off," Harry panted, waving at Severus' lower half. "Oh God, get them off!"

It was no use, Harry could sit passively no longer. He turned off the taps, afraid that the water would overflow, before striding towards Severus and kneeling in front of him, coming to eye to eye with his covered erection. Harry fumbled with the hooks and eyes of Severus' trousers, his hands shaking so much it was a wonder he could get them open at all, but at last they were open. 

"Young master, what are you doing?" Severus asked as Harry yanked Severus' trousers and underwear down to his ankles.

"I want to taste you," Harry said breathlessly, once Severus' cock was revealed to his gaze. Severus was longer than Harry there, broader too, the cock curving to the left a little. Harry sniffed it lightly, inhaling the scent that reminded him of nothing except Severus. It didn't smell of anything that Harry was familiar with, not even his own body, but it wasn't unpleasant. Harry leaned over and took the head of Severus' cock in his mouth, licking and sucking as if Severus was the most delicious confectionery. But no sweet had ever tasted this good!

Harry keened around the cock in his mouth as Severus' hands tangled in his hair and pulled Harry forwards, getting more of his cock in Harry's mouth. Gagging a bit, Harry pulled back just enough to be more comfortable but kept as much of Severus' cock in his mouth as he could, knowing how good that felt when Severus did it to him.

"Harry!" Severus moaned. "You're so good at that. Anyone would think you were born to suck cock. Such a beautiful mouth, stretched so prettily around me. I wish I could come like this, I'd love you to drink me down."

Harry's cock at just the thought. He pulled back and grinned up at his demon butler. "Bath time now, then?"

"Indeed." Severus waved his hand and they were both suddenly naked, Harry's clothes folded neatly on the floor beside Severus'. Harry's eyes widened and he squawked when Severus scooped him up in his arms and settled him gently in the bath. Severus lifted up a sponge and began to lather it up, still kneeling by the side of the bath.

"Not like that. Get in with me," Harry said. "We can bathe each other."

"I don't really need to bathe like a human," Severus said.

"I know. It's not just about getting clean," Harry said, blushing to the roots of his hair. "I want to touch you."

"As always, your wish is my command, young master."

"Not a command," Harry said, his cock deflating a little. "I don't want to command you to touch me. I only want to do it if you want to."

Severus smiled at him, before climbing into the bath and settling down opposite Harry. "Have no fear on that score, Harry. I always want to touch you."

There were few words between them after that; they lathered each other's chest, pinching nipples, grazing hands down below the waterline where they teased each other's cocks with fleeting touches. There were moans and gasps, water splashing onto the floor, harsh grunts and breathy gasps as they brought each other higher and higher to the peak of pleasure, but did not yet fall over it.

Severus pulled away from Harry and settled himself against the back of the bath. "On my lap, Harry," he suggested.

Harry did as he was told, resting his thighs either side of Severus'. _OH!_ That felt so good, his cock pressing against Severus' abdomen, as Severus' cock pressed against his. So firm, so solid and before he knew it Harry was rocking against Severus' body in a steady rhythm of need and want. Severus' hands gripped Harry's waist as he arched up towards Harry.

Harry didn't know which one of them went for the kiss first, but suddenly both their mouths were joined in a frantic clash of lips and teeth, wilder than any kiss they'd shared before it. Severus was thrusting hard now, whining with need into Harry's mouth and Harry realised at once what was wrong. The incubus nature meant that Severus couldn't come until Harry had, even though he must be desperate for release by now.

Harry thrust his tongue into Severus' mouth, loving the thick, hot feel of Severus' tongue against his. He pressed down hard on Severus' shoulders, humping Severus like a dog in heat, the need coiling low down in his belly and bollocks. Severus pulled away from their kiss, but then he latched onto Harry's neck, just where it joined his shoulder and he bit down _hard_. The sensation was too much. Harry bucked in Severus' arms and spilled his release between them, ropes and ropes of it as he rode the waves of ecstasy, his whole body convulsing.

Severus shuddered, his teeth still embedded in Harry's shoulder as his climax found him and his grip on Harry's hip tightened into something resembling pain, but not quite. Harry held him until Severus lifted his head and stared at him. "I'm sorry, I should not have done that."

"What? But we both wanted it," Harry said firmly. "It wasn't rape, Severus."

"I mean the bite. I should not have bitten you, I lost control."

"It's okay, Severus. It didn't hurt. Well, only a little. But it was a good hurt. I liked it," Harry said shyly. "That's what made me come, when you bit me."

"Oh, dear, have I uncovered some masochistic tendencies, young master?" Severus inspected Harry's neck. "At least I didn't break the skin, you're not bleeding, but there might be a bruise there."

"Well, then, I'll just have to get my butler to put some salve on me. He's very good with his hands, you know."

"Is he now? And what else is this butler good at?"

"Oh, everything," said Harry, trying not to giggle. "His hands, his mouth, his cock."

"I've created a monster," Severus said, mock-severely.

"You love me really," said Harry in a teasing tone.

"I do, young master, I do."

They both gaped at each other, surprised at the admission. Harry's heart leaped when he realised that it was true. He loved Severus and Severus loved him.

Nothing would ever change that.


	16. Chapter 16

**Part 16**

"Miss Weasley, where are you going with that tray?"

Ginny Weasley's hands trembled, the cups and plates rattling on the tray. "I was just going to bring the master up his breakfast, Mister Severus."

"Put the tray down. Now." Severus' voice was harsh and the girl looked on the verge of tears as she set the tray back down on the table. "How long have you been employed here?"

"Just over a month, sir."

"And in that time, have you noticed anything about the young master's breakfast?"

"Um, you normally bring it up to him," she said at last.

"That's right, I do. There is one major rule in this house, Miss Weasley, and you would do well to remember it. No one, I repeat, no one but me is ever to enter the young master's bedchamber, is that clear?"

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir," she said, her voice breaking.

"Now go and help your mother in the drawing room." Severus knew Molly Weasley didn't need any help with her cleaning, but it gave him an excuse to send the girl away so that she could cry in privacy if she wished. Severus had no patience for tears, not unless they came from his master. When Harry cried, Severus felt the grief himself and felt useless at being unable to do anything about it. Neither of them had mentioned the 'L' word again after that night in the bath and Severus wondered if they were both trying to avoid the same thing. Demons didn't love, it wasn't in their nature, but Severus knew that when he was around Harry he felt things he'd never felt before. How could he love? He had no heart, not in the way humans understood it. And Harry, well Harry had always hinted that he no longer felt capable of love after losing his parents so horrifically.

Severus sighed, shook his head and inspected the breakfast Miss Weasley had prepared. She must have been watching Severus for the past few weeks, for she had indeed made all of Harry's favourites: the kippers, porridge, tea rather than hot chocolate, toast along with jam, not marmalade.

Severus set Harry's breakfast tray in the dumb waiter that led to the upper floors before making his own way upstairs. He lifted the tray, set it on the trolley he always kept upstairs before making his way to his master's chamber. Severus didn't knock, Harry didn't expect him to in the mornings, and he relied on Severus to wake him for breakfast once Severus was in the room. Severus pushed the door open and stepped inside, taking the opportunity to study his young master's sleeping form, for Harry was too self- conscious while awake to allow such scrutiny.

Harry was lying curled up on his side, the covers down beyond his feet and his knees nearly tucked up under his chin. His hair was a wild mess, as it always was after he'd slept and Severus had to resist the urge to trail his hands through those soft, dark curls. Letting his master sleep a bit longer, Severus made his way to the dressing table and the jug and ewer sitting on top of it. He took the jug into the bathroom to get some hot water for his master's morning wash, surprised when he caught himself reflected in the mirror above the sink. It wasn't the first time he'd caught sight of his reflection there, but it was the first time he'd ever seen such a look on his face. Severus was smiling softly as he thought of Harry, not a smirk or a sneer, but a real smile. He hadn't even realised he'd still had the ability to smile at anything. A demon's life had little to smile about in it.

He filled the jug, returned to the bedroom and set the water down on the dressing table before going to wake his human. "Young master, it's time to wake," Severus said softly, trailing a gloved hand along Harry's left cheek. Bright green eyes blinked up at him, the right one marked with their contract.

Harry pulled himself upright in the bed and yawned, clasping a hand over his mouth as he did so. Severus gasped when he saw the bruises along Harry's neck; he hadn't meant to be so rough with the boy last night, but the evidence of how rough he'd been was staring him in the face. "I'm sorry, my lord, I did not mean to mark you." Severus reached out and caressed Harry's bruised flesh.

"I like it," Harry said with a blush. "I love it when you get so carried away that you don't know what you're doing. I love it when you mark me as yours."

"You are mine," Severus hissed in agreement. "But marks like those are obvious as love-bites. You will face questions you shouldn't need to answer. I can use my powers to heal them for --"

"No," Harry said firmly. "I don't want you to heal them. I'll just wear a scarf to cover them. I want to wear your marks, Severus. I want a reminder that I belong to you. One that only we know about it." Harry shook his head, as if that should end the matter. "Now, what's on the schedule for today?"

"The new toy lines for Christmas have arrived from the factories your inspection. At eleven you have a music lesson."

"Is Master Roberts back?"

"No, young master, I will continue your music lessons from now on. Master Roberts has reason to find other employ."

"Has he? Why?"

"I have dismissed him."

"You've never lied to me, Severus, but you're hiding something. Why did you dismiss Master Roberts?"

Severus knew there was no way around it. He was going to have to tell Harry the truth, for Severus could no more lie to Harry than he could eat his soul before the contract was fulfilled.

"He stands too close to you when he's teaching you violin and he hovers over your shoulder when you're at the piano." Severus flushed, but he hoped Harry thought it was indignation rather than embarrassment.

Harry laughed and lay back against his pillows. "You were jealous of Master Roberts? He must be eighty if he's a day! There was nothing untoward going on, Severus."

"I know that, young master. But I cannot help my nature and I could not bear you being so close to another human."

"Hermione and Aunt Jane hug me all the time. You've never seemed that bothered when they do." Harry sat up and lifted the silver dome off the breakfast tray.

"Allow me to clarify," said Severus. "It is not in my nature to allow you so close to another _male_ human. I don't think you would want to share intimacies with a woman."

Harry shook his head. "You're wrong, Severus. I don't want to share intimacies with anyone but you. Is that clear enough for you?" Harry reached up and tugged on Severus' tie, dragging Severus down to Harry's level. Harry licked his lips, his eyes sparkling, expectant. And Severus was never one to deny his human what he wanted. Not when it was what Severus wanted too.

Severus closed the gap between them and pressed his lips firmly against Harry's. Harry moaned and wrapped his arms around Severus' neck. Severus felt the arousal build and build; he'd just reached a hand under the bedclothes when a loud rap on the door interrupted them. Harry pulled away, his face flushed and sweaty, but they both knew they could no longer continue. Not with the house full of servants who might be wondering what they were up to.

Severus took a deep breath, quelled his arousal and went to answer the door. Arthur Weasley stood there, twirling a cap around in his hand.

"I'm so sorry, Mister Severus. I know we're not supposed to disturb the master in his rooms, but his aunt and uncle are here. They are most insistent on seeing the earl."

"The Dursleys?" Harry asked, draping a dressing gown around himself and standing beside Severus in the doorway.

"No, my lord. It’s the Duke and Duchess of Northolt."

Harry glanced at Severus and then nodded to Arthur. "Thank you, Weasley. I will get dressed and be down shortly. Please show them into the parlour."

"Yes, sir. Very good, sir," said Arthur as he bowed and made his way back downstairs.

"What are they doing here so early?" Harry mused to himself as Severus helped him wash and get dressed for the day. "Maybe Hermione has finally decided on someone for the engagement, although the last time she was here she didn't seem that keen on marrying at all. But if that's what it was, they hardly need to be here at the crack of dawn, do they?"

Severus just made a non-committal sound in his throat. It didn't seem like his young master was expecting any reply. There were no lingering touches this morning; Severus was quick and efficient as he got his master ready. Harry left his breakfast untouched and Severus resolved to make sure his master ate something later. Severus followed Harry downstairs and into the parlour. The duke was standing facing the fireplace, his hands clasped behind his back. His wife was sitting on the armchair nearest the fire, her head in her hands, sobbing quietly.

"Aunt Jane?" Harry asked as he stepped into the room. Her head shot up and her whole body trembled with her sobs. "What's the matter?"

"Our daughter is missing," said the duke as he turned to face them. "Hermione has not been seen for two days and we've received no word from her."

"Missing? Hermione?" Harry swayed where he stood and Severus knew the young earl was thinking of his own abduction. Severus placed a hand on his back and guided him to the sofa.

"Some of the staff are gossiping that Hermione has run away from home or has eloped with some young man we don't approve of," said the duchess, dabbing at her eyes with a lacy handkerchief.

"Hermione would never elope," said Harry firmly. "She told me she didn't even want to get married at all. This is most unlike her."

"I agree," said the duke. "Hermione is very sensible, I don't think she's run away at all. I think she's been taken."

"You sound so sure of that, Uncle Rupert," said Harry. "Have you received a note for ransom?"

"No, not ransom. But there was a card."

"What card?" asked Jane. "I never saw any card."

"I did not wish to distress you, my dear."

"My only daughter's been kidnapped, how more distressed can I get? Tell me at once!" Jane stood up and brushed off her skirts, although Severus could see that there wasn't any fluff or dirt anywhere to be seen on the pink silk. He guessed she just needed to be doing something with her hands.

"I'm afraid she may indeed have been abducted, but not for ransom." Rupert reached into the pocket of his waistcoat and removed a business card, holding it between thumb and forefinger. He showed it briefly to his wife, who clasped a gloved hand over her mouth.

"But that's…"

Rupert nodded. "Indeed. Now do you see why I didn't want to worry you?"

"May I see the card, Uncle?" Harry asked, his hand outstretched. Rupert looked to Severus, as if it was up to Severus to decide. He supposed that with Harry's age his relatives looked more upon Severus as his guardian rather than just a butler. In a way, he was, just not in the way they expected. 

Severus reached for the card, although he had guessed correctly what would be upon it.

It was a symbol he saw every day when he bathed and dressed Harry.

A black skull with a snake protruding from its mouth.


	17. Chapter 17

**Part 17**

"Who are these people? What do they want with our family?" Jane wailed and sat back down on an armchair.

Rupert gave Severus and Harry a searching look and looked pointedly at his wife, who was now sobbing softly into a handkerchief. Harry realised what his uncle wanted at once. His uncle knew something but wasn't willing to say it in front of Aunt Jane.

"Severus, please send for Mrs. Weasley. She and Aunt Jane can adjourn to the drawing room for some peace and quiet."

Jane's head snapped up as she scrunched the handkerchief in her fist. "I don't want peace and quiet! I want my daughter found!"

"Please, Aunt Jane. For me?" Harry asked, putting on his most doe-eyed look. His tutors could never resist it and neither it seemed, could Jane.

"Very well, Harry. You're such a good boy. I'll go and sit with Mrs. Weasley while you all discuss things behind my back." With that, Jane swept out of the room. Severus waved his hand over the door and Harry guessed he was placing some sort of silencing magic on the wood so that even if Jane was eavesdropping she wouldn't hear anything. Rupert didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary.

"You think Hermione was abducted by the same people who took me?" Harry asked, surprised how calm his voice sounded. The memories of that awful time had never fully gone away and he still had nightmares sometimes. Oh, God, what if they did to Hermione what they did to him? The locked cage? The beatings? The humiliations at every turn?

Rupert brushed his frock-coat, although there was no fluff or dirt to be seen on it. He seemed to be battling with himself. "Harry, what do you know of your ancestors? Do you know anything about the first Potters, about the first earls?"

"I know they all died younger than they should have had, including my parents. There were lots of freak accidents."

"Accidents. Hmm, yes, I suppose that's what you're supposed to think. Harry, all of the Potter line, all of the other earls were all murdered. They weren't accidents. Someone is going to great lengths to destroy the Potter bloodline. Now that they have Hermione, it's only a matter of time before they come for you again. Your father confided in me before he died. He was working undercover for the Queen, but I guess you know that now? He was the Queen's Phoenix and was trying to infiltrate a secret society. But somehow they found out, or he was betrayed and they killed him before he could make his report to the Queen."

"Who are these people?" Harry asked. "What do they want with us?"

"I don't know everything, you understand, just the parts your father told me. They call themselves Death Eaters and their main headquarters is in an old abbey in Yorkshire called Little Hangleton. But here's the thing, they pretend they are a legitimate religious order and will allow no one on their property, except those who decide to join their order. There have been reports lately of people going missing from the surrounding villages and the local populace believe that this group is behind the disappearances. I have no idea if they are behind Hermione's kidnap, but it's the only lead we have." Rupert turned and stared into the empty fireplace, for the fire in the parlour hadn't been lit yet. His shoulders sagged and Harry felt pained for his aunt and uncle's distress. He knew what Rupert was going to ask of him and Harry mentally prepared himself for the question.

"Harry, I know this is a terrible imposition of you, but I don't know who else to turn to. The police say they can't do anything against these people in Yorkshire as we have no evidence that they've even taken her. Please, Harry, can you find her and bring her home?"

"I do not think that is fair on the young master," said Severus, standing in front of Harry as though to protect him from Uncle Rupert. "You have no idea what those people put him through and yet you want him to voluntarily return to them? He will not do it. This is a matter for police, leave the earl out of it."

"It's all right, Severus. I want to go, I want to help Hermione if she's there."

"Young master—"

"Please, Severus. I have to do this, I have to." Harry looked deep into Severus' eyes hoping Severus could guess why he had to do it. Not only was he trying to save Hermione, he needed to know if these people, these Death Eaters, were the ones responsible for his parents' murders. He needed to find out the truth, one way or another, even if it meant his death and the loss of his soul.

Severus nodded. "Very well, young master, but I must insist on accompanying you. You are not to do this alone."

"Thank you, Severus. I was hoping you'd say that."

Rupert moved from the fireplace and placed his arms around Harry's shoulders. Harry tried not to stiffen too much at his uncle's touch, for so long no one but Severus had touched him. Tears dripped down onto Harry's neck, surprising him. Rupert had always seemed so strong. "Thank you, Harry. Thank you both."

***

Five days later Harry and Severus arrived at King's Cross Station ready for the train journey to York. Once there they had to take a smaller branch line to Greater Hangleton and then make their way to the smaller village of Little Hangleton.

Harry stood as close to Severus as he could as they waited for their train to be announced on the departure boards. Every so often there was a mechanical click and the destinations and times along with platform numbers changed once again. There were far too many people about and even though Harry was no longer a child, he still had to stop himself from reaching out and clasping Severus' hand.

"Young master, are you all right?" Severus asked, as always he seemed to have a sixth sense where Harry's welfare was involved.

"I don't like crowds," Harry said, before admitting in a soft voice, "and I've never been on a train before. Are you sure it's safe?"

"As safe as it can be," replied Severus. "Trains have been around for some time now and while there have been accidents, there have also been carriage accidents too. I will protect you with my life, my lord."

Harry gaped at him. "Can you die?"

"Not in quite the same way as humans, young master. As immortal beings, angels and demons do not age nor we do suffer diseases that can shorten our life span. However, we can be killed in battle with another of our kind, especially if were are injured with a golden blade. Gold is poisonous to our kind." Severus looked up at the board which had changed once again while they were talking. "Platform five, Harry. This way."

Harry followed Severus to the correct platform, his head still reeling with Severus' revelations. He didn't think it was possible for Severus to die and the thought shook him to his core. Severus had always seemed _strong_ and that he would always be there, at least until the contract was fulfilled.

The steps onto the train were rather high, but still Harry was surprised when Severus grasped him around the waist and lifted him up to the first step. Even when Severus let go of him, Harry thought he could still feel Severus' hands around his waist like a band of heat there and he blushed as he made his way down the corridor looking for their compartment. They hadn't done anything intimate for the past few days, as Harry's aunt and uncle were still guests at the manor and Harry's worry about Hermione had been forefront in his mind.

"Here we are," said Severus close to Harry's hear, the breath tickling Harry, and pushing the glass door aside to let Harry in the compartment first. Harry entered and sat down on the velvet covered seat and tugged his coat down over his lap to hide his burgeoning erection. Severus' touches, no matter how innocent they may have been, always had the same effect on Harry and he felt awkward that it always seemed to be him who had to initiate things between them. Sometimes he just wished that Severus would lose some of his stoic control and ravish him.

Severus slid into the seat opposite Harry's and draped one leg over the other, giving Harry a very good view of his crotch and the bulge visible there. Harry swallowed and glanced up at the luggage racks above their heads where their trunks were already placed. His face was flaming and his cock was rock-hard and Harry knew that Severus would be able to smell his arousal as well as sense it; the demon was so attuned to his master.

Severus waved his hand towards the door leading into the corridor and a blind fell down to cover it and hide the occupants from view. "Is there anything you require, young master?" Severus asked, smirking.

"No," Harry said sullenly, folding his arms over his chest and staring out the window at the platform outside and the people milling about. Severus knew full well what Harry required, what he wanted, what they both needed, but Harry was getting fed up of being the one who had to beg for a touch. Was it that Severus didn't really desire him at all? That he only touched Harry when Harry asked for it because he needed the sex to survive on this plane?

The chugging of the engines got louder and a plume of smoke billowed back from the engine to envelop the platform as the train juddered and started moving. For about an hour, Harry did nothing but watch the scenery roll by, but he was aware of Severus' scrutiny the whole time and knowing that Severus was staring at him did little to relieve the tension in his groin at all.

"You are so delectable when you pout," Severus said softly. "Your lips look so much more kissable like that."

And even before Severus had finished speaking, Harry had closed the distance between them and clambered onto Severus' lap. They both groaned as their erections brushed together and Severus' hands gripped Harry's arse hard.

"You haven't touched me for days!" Harry gasped when they came up for air. "How can you stand it?"

"I wasn't so sure my attentions would be welcome. You forget, young master, I can sense how you're feeling. I knew you were worried about your cousin and what your relatives might think."

Harry rested his forehead against Severus' hair. "I thought you were tired of me," Harry admitted in a small voice.

Severus' grip on Harry's arse tightened even more. "Tired of touching you, my lord? Surely you jest? Sometimes it is all I can do not to touch you constantly. You excite me terribly."

As if to prove his point, Severus removed his hands from Harry's arse and pulled his head down to kiss him fervently. Because of Harry's position sitting on Severus' lap, Harry had the unusual sensation of bending down to kiss Severus, rather than up. His hips shifted, as did Severus', as if they couldn't quite keep still. It was so good to have pressure against his groin as they kissed and Harry moaned low in his throat as they kissed and kissed.

They rocked with the motion of the train along the tracks as well as an older, more primal rhythm, their thrusts against each other gathering urgency. This was so much better than when Harry fondled himself with his hands. Every hair on his body seemed to be standing on end and his heartbeat was rushing in his ears like surf against sand. How could a human body contain such pleasure? He felt swamped with it, things hurtling too fast for him to keep up with. "Wait! Wait! It's too much," Harry said as he pulled his lips away and breathed the words along Severus' neck.

"We can stop if you wish it, young master," said Severus, but his hands had found their way again to grip Harry's hips.

"I don't want to stop," Harry whispered hoarsely. "I just don't want to make a mess of my clothes."

"You were so close already, my lord?"

Harry nodded, blushing. "You make me feel so good, Severus. Sometimes I can hardly stand it." He wriggled a bit on Severus' lap, his arousal spiking higher as he did so. Severus' groaned and kissed him again, biting on his lips so hard he drew blood. Harry was surprised to find the slight pain made his cock jerk against his clothes. He wanted to come so badly now that he didn't care if he made his clothes messy. Maybe Severus would know some magic to be able to clean them.

But before he had a chance to soil his clothes, Severus' hands were fumbling with Harry's buttons and a few moments later he was caressing Harry's cock with his gloved hand. "Oh! Ohhh!" Harry groaned and arched his hips, trying to get more of that wonderful sensation as Severus pumped his cock with an expert hand.

The soft cotton of the gloves against his naked cock seemed so deliciously naughty. For the gloves reminded Harry that Severus was his butler, so prim and proper in that public role, but so devilish when he touched Harry intimately like this. "Severus! Oh, God! Severus! I'm going to come!" Harry wailed, trying to stem the tide as much as he could, he didn't want this to end so soon.

"Yes, my master," Severus said softly. "Come for me. Come for me, Harry. Cover me in it."

"Ahhh! Ahhh!" Harry howled and bucked, his whole body convulsing with the force of his climax. Ropes of seed flew from his cock to smother Severus' gloves and clothes, some of it even going so far to land on Severus' cheek. Below him, Severus shuddered and pressed against Harry's body, but was completely silent as he orgasmed and Harry felt the dampness seep through both sets of clothes.

"Severus," Harry panted, his whole body trembling with aftershocks. He wasn't sure he could move, his legs felt like jelly. "I'm sorry I got some on your cheek."

Severus grinned at him, before trailing a gloved finger through the semen and sucking it, humming around it, as if he found Harry's taste sweeter than any dessert. Harry blushed at seeing how much Severus enjoyed it. Not to be outdone by his demon, Harry made quick work of Severus' trousers, although he didn't think he was as deft as Severus' at undressing someone, and pulled Severus' cock out through the gap. It was sticky with drying come and it was but the work of seconds for Harry to scoop a bit on his fingers and bring those fingers to his mouth. It didn't really taste of anything and Harry wondered if that was because of Severus' demon heritage.

Severus' eyes glittered red and he gripped Harry's wrist in his hand.

"Little boys shouldn't play with fire. Not unless they want to get burnt."

Harry took an extra lick, just for that, and stared Severus down. "Burn me."


	18. Chapter 18

**Part 18**

"Young master, we're here." Severus stroked Harry's cheek to wake him. Harry had fallen asleep after their third bout and Severus had spent the remainder of the evening watching his master sleep and forcing himself not to wake him for more. Severus had to keep remembering that Harry was only human and did not have the same stamina as an Incubus, no matter how much Severus had wanted to continue their intimacies. He'd placed his own coat over Harry as he lay on the velvet covered seat, even though it would have been easy for Severus to conjure a blanket just as well. He'd wanted his coat draped over Harry, the coat that Severus' scent clung to. It was Severus staking a claim again, even though they knew no other demon could touch Harry now that he was protected by their contract. Angels were another matter. Contracts wouldn't stop them.

Harry opened his eyes and blinked up at Severus, his emerald gaze bright in the light from the gas lamps above their seats. Harry pushed himself up and clasped Severus' coat around his waist, and Severus grinned with pleasure when he saw Harry sniff his coat.

"Where are we?" Harry asked, running a hand through his hair and staring out at the gas-lit platform outside their window.

"We're in Greater Hangleton. There are no trains running to Little Hangleton until tomorrow morning. I've already arranged for us to stay at the hotel next to the station, a porter has already sent our luggage on ahead. I was waiting for you to awake on your own, but it seemed you might have slept on the train all night if I'd stuck to that plan."

"What time is it?"

"Just after midnight."

"Midnight?" Harry asked incredulously. "I've been asleep for hours!"

"Indeed." Severus smirked at him. "I seem to have worn you out, my lord." And there it was again, Harry's delightful pink blush as Severus reminded him of what they'd been up to on the train. Severus removed his jacket from Harry and pulled it on, Harry's scent on the clothing making his nostrils flare and his groin stir once more. He calmed himself by making sure that Harry's clothes were no longer wrinkled and if he let his hands linger a bit longer than was necessary on Harry's arse and thighs, Harry didn't object. The sharp intake of breath by his master was an added bonus.

"Severus!" Harry admonished, softly slapping Severus' hands away. "You're insatiable!"

"Well, I am an Incubus, my lord. It's in my nature. And when I have someone as delectable as you to sate my hunger on, how can I resist?"

Harry blushed again and lowered his cane to the ground. "Come on; let's get some sleep before we go to the abbey tomorrow. Some of us are only human after all and need to rest."

"Very well, young master," said Severus, taking Harry's hand in his and kissing the back of it. Harry pulled his hand away too quickly for Severus' liking, but Harry was right. He _was_ only human and needed to rest.

Severus may have overstated things, for the station hotel wasn't really a hotel, rather it was a public house with a few rooms to let. When they entered the public bar, the men who had been talking suddenly ceased their chatter and turned around to stare at them. Severus sensed Harry's discomfort and stood close to him as they made their way to the barman behind the counter. "We have a reservation. Potter."

"Aye," said the barman, wiping a glass with a rag so filthy that it didn't do much but smear dirt around it. "Room four's free. It's extra if you want hot water brought up in the morning."

Severus removed a sovereign from his pocket and left it on the counter. The barman's eyes bulged, for they both knew the hot water wasn't worth that much extra. Around them the chatter of patrons had started again, everyone back to their own drinks and conversations.

"Where are you off to? We don't get many visitors round these parts."

"Little Hangleton. We're catching the train tomorrow," said Harry.

"There aren't any trains tomorrow. No trains to Little Hangleton anymore. Not since the accident."

"What accident?" asked Severus.

"An accident on Abbey Bridge. The whole bridge collapsed, killed everyone who was on the train. Must have been about twenty or thirty people or so. The trains can't go anywhere near Little Hangleton, they can't get over the ravine, see?"

"And Abbey Bridge. Is that near St. Cuthbert's Abbey?" asked Harry.

"Aye, but you don't want to be going there. There's bad things happen in that abbey. It's not a holy place, not any more. You can't get to it anyroad, not now the bridge has collapsed."

"Isn't there another way to get to it?" asked Severus, although he knew the lack of a bridge wouldn't deter them. Severus could fly over and take Harry with him. It would have to be in the dark though, no sense giving the humans any more strange things to wonder about.

"No, the abbey is on its own little rock. Ravines all the way round. The only way was on the railway bridge. You can't get to it now."

"Thank you for your help," said Harry. "We will have to change our plans."

The barman nodded and reached under the counter for a large, brass key. "Here you go, gentlemen. Room four, top of the stairs on the left. Your luggage is already there. Breakfast starts at seven."

Severus took the key and took hold of Harry's arm to steer him up the stairs, the conversation in the bar starting anew as they left the room. Harry's shoulders sagged and a few times he leant on Severus as they made their way to the room. The room wasn't large, not compared to Harry's bedroom at the manor, but it was bigger than Severus was expecting for a roadside inn.

A large double bed was pushed up against one wall and a wardrobe leaned drunkenly to one side on another one. Below the small window was a dressing table which held a pitcher and ewer in a blue floral design. Steam was rising from the bowl, so Severus guessed someone had already been in with hot water for them. The curtains were navy blue velvet as was the bedspread and all in all it seemed quite comfortable. Two bedside tables held lit candles which flickered in unseen drafts.

"There's only one bed," said Harry, glancing around the room.

"Indeed, young master. Not to worry. I don't need sleep like humans do; I can rest on the floor."

Harry blushed. "Why don't you share the bed with me?"

"That wouldn't be proper," said Severus, trying his best not to smirk. It was fun to watch his human squirm.

"And what we did on the train was? You know you're more than a butler to me, Severus. I'd like us to share the bed. We don't have to do anything; we can just go to sleep."

Severus caressed Harry's cheek with a gloved hand. "Have I tired you out, my lord?"

"You know you have. I've never come so much before! I feel exhausted."

"Very well," said Severus as he knelt down and began to unbutton Harry's clothes. "A quick wash and then bed for you."

Harry stood silent and compliant, yielding to his undressing and his wash as he did every night and morning. Severus didn't linger overlong as he might have done if Harry wasn't so tired. It was so easy for the demon to get aroused whenever he was with Harry. It was a pity that the first night Harry had invited Severus to join him in bed was also a night where Harry wouldn't be able to do anything but sleep. If Severus didn't want to be kept awake all night with sexual frustration, he had to keep his hands on their job and not think of all that soft skin to be explored.

"Oh." Harry sighed softly as Severus washed his cock and balls with a soft cloth he'd conjured, for the room didn't contain one. "That feels nice. I don't think I'll get hard again, but it feels good. I love your hands on me, Severus."

"So I've noticed. But you're nearly asleep on your feet." Severus stood up and searched Harry's trunk for his nightshirt. Harry lifted his arms above his head and just stood there, waiting. Severus took a moment to look his fill before pulling the garment down over Harry's body.

"How are we going to get the abbey if there are no roads or railway in?" Harry asked, stifling a yawn.

"We fly, of course."


	19. Chapter 19

**Part 19**

Harry clung to Severus' neck, his fingers holding on for dear life as they soared across the early morning sky. It was still dark and Harry knew they had to make it to the abbey before dawn so that ordinary people wouldn't look up and see them. How did you explain a winged demon with a human in his arms? Severus' arms cradled Harry securely but he still would have preferred to be on solid ground. It was disconcerting feeling the wind whistle past his ears as they hurtled towards the abbey.

There were a few dotted lights on the ground, from remote houses Harry guessed, but when they reached the ravine, the lights blazing from the abbey made it seem as bright as noon down there.

"They are expecting us," Severus said as he too gazed at the lights of the abbey windows.

"They can't be," Harry protested. "No one knows we're coming."

"There is only one man who knew where we were going," said Severus softly. "In fact, he was the one who suggested we come here."

"What? No! He wouldn't!" Harry didn't want to believe it, but the truth of the matter was staring them both in the face. "Uncle Rupert? But _why_?"

"I don't know, young master, but do you want to find out?" Severus hovered a hundred feet in the air above the abbey, his wings fluttering as he kept them airborne. Severus could take them away from here, Harry needn't go anywhere near that abbey, for he suspected now that Hermione's kidnapping, if she'd even been kidnapped at all, had been a ruse to lure him here. But why? That was the crux of the matter and even though they both knew it was a trap, Harry had to know. He had to know what these people wanted of him and why they had killed his parents and attempted to kill him too.

"What are you saying, Severus?"

"I can take you away from here, Harry. You can be safe."

Harry shuddered in the demon's arms. It was so easy to be seduced into the idea of safety, but Harry knew he would never be safe. Not as long as his parents' murderers were still out there, still intent on harming him too. But if Harry found out who they were, if he found out what he needed to know, then he could meet Death on his own terms. He could avenge his parents' murders and go to his own death, not quite happy, but at least resolved.

"I need to know, Severus. Please take us down."

"You know that our contract is still in force? If you find out the truth, I will have to kill you."

Harry was surprised that Severus seemed to be doing all in his power to prevent Harry from following this course. "Severus, do you still want to devour my soul?" Harry asked, turning to glance at the demon. Severus' eyes flashed red in the darkness as he nodded.

"Of course. That is the only reason I'm here."

"You're lying," Harry said. "Do you think I would just forget what you said that day? You love me. I know you do."

"Demons do not love," Severus said. "We obey a human's bidding because we hope to get something in return - that human's soul. I want your soul, young master, nothing else. I have never wanted anything else from you."

"Really?" Harry asked, smirking. "You don't want my body? You don't think about me, about how many ways you can take me? You don't lust after me?"

"I lust after your body the way a hungry man lusts after food. You are sustenance, nothing more."

"If you say so," said Harry, but not believing a word of it. He _knew_ how Severus felt about him and it was nothing to do with eating Harry's soul. "Take me down, Severus. I have to know what's going on. I _need_ to know."

"As you wish, young master," said Severus and turned in a dive so that he and Harry could land safely. At least this time Harry wasn't wearing a frilly dress. Harry stumbled a little as they landed, but Severus was quick to right him again and squeezed his shoulders in what could be construed as a comforting gesture.

As they approached the abbey, the wooden door swung inwards. There were two women standing behind it, both of them dressed in long white robes with red sashes tied around their waist. Both were wearing veils of white and bowed as Harry and Severus made their way to the door. As they got nearer, Harry realised that one of them was only a girl around his own age, but the taller one was older.

"Welcome, Harry Potter," said the girl, bowing again and as she did so, Harry caught sight of a few wisps of blonde hair which had escaped her veil. "You are expected. Sister Sybill saw you in her glass tonight."

"Indeed, Sister Luna. All who wish to join our Order are welcome here. Our lights welcome travellers who are weary of the world outside."

"And what is your Order?" Harry asked, wondering if these two women had anything to do with the murder of his parents.

"We are the Order of the Phoenix," said the woman, Sister Sybill. "We are cleansed of sin by the fire and born anew. The Cleansing Ceremony is about to begin, would you like to bear witness?"

Harry glanced at Severus, unsure of what they should do. If the answers lay in the abbey, then an invitation inside would help. Severus nodded and took hold of Harry's hand, leading him inside the building. The walls and floor were bare stone, with flickering torches on the walls that didn't look as though they had changed any since the medieval era. Stained glass windows of angels and saints dotted the corridor they were led down.

"Severus," Harry whispered as they followed their hostesses along the corridors. "Are they human?"

"Yes, my lord. I sense no angels or demons here."

Their guides stopped at another wooden door. "This is our chapel," said Sister Luna. "You must not speak once we are inside. Only the Orator and the penitents may speak during the Cleansing."

"Very well," said Harry. Severus just nodded and the woman pushed the door open. Flickering candles were in tall iron holders in every corner of the room. Stained glass windows with visions of saints and angels were on both sides of the chapel. Pews in honeyed wood were filled with hundreds of people garbed in the same white robes as Sister Luna and her companion. Despite the interruption of their entrance, not one person glanced around at them. All eyes were at the front of the chapel where someone in a scarlet robe with a white sash was standing behind a marble altar. A book was open in front of him, but Harry didn't think it was a bible he was reading from.

To the left of the Orator were two naked figures huddled close together, their heads bowed. Since their backs were to the rest of the congregation, Harry didn't know whether they were male of female. Both of them had shoulder-length dark hair and their skin was as pale as the moonlight streaming through the high windows behind the altar. Harry shuddered, one of the angels on the stained glass looked a lot like Gilderoy Lockhart.

Sister Luna pointed both of them to a pew at the back of the chapel, but no words were spoken by anyone other than the Orator. Harry thought that was a strange name to give to someone who seemed to be mumbling rather than having a clear speech. From what little words Harry could hear, he didn't think the man was speaking in English or Latin. He supposed it might have been Greek, but Harry had never studied Greek at all so he wasn't really sure.

The scarlet-robed Orator closed the book on the altar with a snap, making every head in the chapel turn towards him as one. When he spoke next, his voice was clear and in English.

"Joshua Treadwell, the book has spoken and revealed your sins to all gathered here. You were a greengrocer who swindled his customers out of their money, hoping to keep more profit for yourself. Your scales were dishonest and you were charged more for less produce than they expected. Do you repent these sins in front of your fellows?"

"I do! I do!" said the man on the right. "I want to be Cleansed! I want to be pure!"

"The impure and the unclean must repent with all their heart!"

Harry stiffened in his seat. Those words sounded very like those spoken by Gilderoy Lockhart when they'd been searching for Jack the Ripper.

"I do! I repent! I repent!" The man bowed his head and his shoulders slumped.

"Only the purifying fire can cleanse you. Do you have faith, Brother Joshua? Do you have faith that the fire will not harm you?"

"Yes, Orator! I believe! I am a true believer!"

"Very well. Let the fire cleanse you of your sins. Let your heart and soul be pure once more." The Orator clicked his fingers and in the next instant, Joshua was engulfed in orange flame. Harry screamed and darted from his seat. How could everyone else just sit there and watch the man burn alive?

The Orator glanced down at Harry, his eyes narrowing. "Who dares to interrupt a Cleansing?" he demanded.

"Most humble apologises, Master Orator," said Sister Luna. "He is a new recruit."

"Sit down in silence, all of you!"

Sister Luna pulled Harry back down on the pew and as he watched the flames, he realised that they were not actually harming the man engulfed in them. How was that even possible? His parents had burned to death and watching this atrocity in the name of religion had the bile rising in his throat. Harry had no idea how much time had passed before the fire extinguished itself.

There was something marring the pale skin of Joshua's back. The Orator lifted the man up and brought him around the front of the altar, showing the mark on his back to the assembled audience. "Behold! The Mark of Repentance! Let all who see it know that this man has been Cleansed and is welcome into our fold!"

Harry shouldn't have been able to see it, no one should have been able to see such a small mark from so far away, but he'd recognise that symbol anywhere. The very one that marred Harry's own flesh.

A skull outlined in black with a serpent emerging from its tongue.


	20. Chapter 20

**Part 20**

Harry exchanged a glance with Severus and knew that the demon had seen the symbol too. Harry may not have had demon powers, but he sensed that soon all the answers he sought would be theirs for the taking. They were getting closer and closer by the minute, Harry was sure of it.

The Orator draped a white robe over Joshua Treadwell, and two of the white-robed congregation stepped up and led him away. Harry had no idea how anyone could emerge unscathed from the fire that they all witnessed. Unless it was some form of mass hysteria and they all saw the same vision. The fire couldn't have been real. Joshua Treadwell would have burnt to death if it had been. 

The Orator looked to his other penitent and held out the book in front of him again as though it was a shield. "Emily Lakton, your sins have been recorded in the book and have now been brought to light. You are a fornicator and house a bastard child in your belly. Do you repent of your sins? If you have faith, the fire will Cleanse you and you will be born anew among us. Do you repent, child?"

"I haven't done anything wrong!" The girl protested. "He forced me to lie with him! I didn't want to, I didn't! I'm a good girl!"

"So you wish to add liar to your sins as well, do you? Everyone knows that women are the cause of sin. Eve tempted Adam in the garden and brought mankind to ruin. You are the same, Emily Lakton. A temptress, tempting men to sin with your body and feminine wiles. I ask again, do you repent?"

"But I haven't done anything!" Emily sobbed, her shoulders shaking with the effort. Harry tried again to rise, but Sister Sybill had her fist clamped to his arm. She was stronger than she looked and Harry could do nothing else but seethe silently as he watched the travesty on the altar. Who were these people to judge who had sinned and who hadn't? Harry believed the girl's story, having almost suffered it himself at Lucius Malfoy's hands. The poor girl had been raped and yet everyone was blaming her rather than the rapist!

"I will ask you one more time, Emily, do you repent?" The Orator's voice had softened and he knelt down in front of her, patting her on the arm. "You are among friends here, Emily. All you need to do is repent and your soul will be pure once more. Repent. Repent, I beg you."

But Emily shook her head. Harry was astonished at her fortitude; it took courage to keep to her convictions with everyone seeming to want the opposite. The Orator clicked his hands once more and Emily Lakton was enveloped in flames.

Her screams gave Harry a burst of strength and he yanked his wrist away from Sister Sybill's grip. "What is the matter with you people? You are going to kill that girl!"

"She's a sinner. _The wages of sin are death._ ," Sybill quoted, her eyes glassy.

"Severus save her! That's an order!" Harry roared. As the girl's screams continued, so screams started in the congregation. Emily flailed about the altar, her burning body setting alight the altar cloth and draperies behind the altar. Soon the fire had reached the carpet running down the centre aisle of the chapel and everyone besides Harry and Severus were making a mad dash for the exit. Severus unfurled his wings and flew over the crowd, landing on the burning altar. Harry struggled against the flow of people going in the opposite direction as he tried to get to Severus and the girl.

"You are all sinners! You will be cleansed!" The Orator screeched, clicking his fingers together and waving his hands at the walls. Soon the whole place was ablaze. People were screaming and wailing; the windows shattered, showering everyone with broken glass, blood mixing in with the smoke covering their uncovered skin.

"Out! Out! Everyone get out!" Harry roared as he struggled against the flow of people. He was knocked sideways into one of the wooden pews, jarring his hip, and he hissed in pain. Already the smoke was making his eyes water and his eyes sting. And the heat! He'd never felt so hot in all his life. Harry knelt down between the pews and crawled along to one of the smaller aisles by the outer wall. He stood and made his way slowly along the wall, breathing shallowly, trying to avoid the smoke.

Up on the altar, Severus had conjured a blanket from the air and wrapped Emily in it. He rolled her to the ground and Harry felt a jolt of relief when he saw the flames extinguished and saw that she was still alive. The Orator pulled back his hood and Harry felt the world beneath him swaying. He should have realised it all along. Underneath the Orator's hood was none other than Gilderoy Lockhart. But how come Severus hadn't sensed the angel's presence? Harry watched in fascinated horror as Lockhart conjured a large sword from thin air, the gold of its blade glittering in the firelight.

Severus was still bent low over Emily, his back to the angel. 

"Severus look out!" Harry screamed, but his warning came too late. Lockhart swung the blade in a large arc, aiming for Severus' left shoulder.

But before Harry could see what happened to Severus, a cloth was pressed against his mouth and nose, covered in a sickly, acrid stench that made his eyes sting and his throat constrict.

"Your uncle was right, Potter. You do have a saving people thing."

Lucius Malfoy's voice followed him down into unconsciousness.

***

When Harry came to, he was lying in a meadow of grass and wildflowers and a gentle breeze stirred his hair. The sky above him was of a hue so blue that he wasn't sure it was quite real. Harry sat up and glanced down at himself. He was wearing a white robe and a red sash like those people in the abbey had worn. Where was he? What had happened?

Fire. He remembered a fire. He remembered Severus by the altar, the angel aiming a sword at him. A gold sword. And gold could kill angels and demons, the only thing that could. Was Severus still alive? Severus had promised to protect Harry with his last breath, a bond that would break if he was dead.

Harry pushed himself to his feet and began to explore the field he found himself in. There were no trees, no animals and the grass seemed to go on forever. He walked and walked, tiring fast, but he didn't find anything else. He'd been hoping for a river or pond of some sort so that he could check his reflection; see if the pentagram on his eye was still there. If it was still visible, did that mean Severus was still alive?

Two hazy figures appeared in the distance, looking quite a way away, but Harry blinked and then they were right next to him.

"He's awake!" Lily Potter ran to him and embraced him, looking as young as she did on the day she died.

"Mama?" Harry asked incredulously, glancing over her shoulder at the man there. "Papa? I thought I'd never see you again!"

"My beautiful boy, how can you think that?" said Lily as she stopped hugging him and raked her eyes over him. "I sometimes forget how much you've grown. Hasn't he, James?"

"Ay. Soon it'll be time for you to get married and carry on the family name, Harry." James lifted out his pocket watch and shook his head. "But time's getting on. We'd best be getting back."

"No, wait!" Harry cried. "I've only just got to see you. Stay, please. Can you tell me what's happening? Why are those people after our family?"

James exchanged a worried glance with his wife. "Our family was always in danger, Harry. Ever since the first earldom was created. Do you know why Henry Potter was given an earldom?"

"I don't know. There was nothing about it in the family records. I assumed he'd done some service for the Crown and the earldom of Godric's Hollow was his reward for that."

"That's what the royals would like everyone to think. They don't want the truth coming out. Harry, your ancestor Henry Potter was the illegitimate child of George III. The line has been unbroken since his day. All the male Potters are seen as a threat to the throne. To keep them in line they were hired as the royal Phoenixes, secret agents investigating the most dangerous criminals in the land. It was hoped that they would die during their investigations. If they didn't, then more direct methods were employed."

"Murdered?" Harry gasped. "Then they were all murdered by a royal decree?"

"Yes. That's who really killed us, Harry. Just using a secret society to do it. We were all meant to die that day, Harry. You'll always be in danger. You will spend your life looking over your shoulder as we have. I wish I could have better news to give you."

"Thank you for telling me," said Harry. His heart felt lighter than it had in years. He knew the truth now, he'd seen his parents again but this time he knew it would be for the last time. If Severus devoured his soul, there would be no field of flowers for it to go to. He would just cease to exist. It didn't scare him as much as he thought it would. Things were resolved now. Harry hugged each of them in turn. "I love you both," Harry said and as soon as he finished speaking, both of them disappeared.

A few moments later, Harry was on his knees, coughing and spluttering amid the ruins of the abbey.

"Harry!" Severus screamed and ran to him, jumping over bits of blackened rubble and timber. Harry looked up and saw that Severus' left sleeve hung loose on his frame, blood darkening his jacket sleeve to maroon.

"Severus! Your arm! He cut your arm off? Where is he? I'll kill that bastard!"

"Lockhart is already dead," said Severus. "I killed him with his own golden blade. He was rather shocked at that. He didn't think demons could ever defeat an angel. Too full of his own self-righteousness to guard his sword properly. Lucius Malfoy is dead too."

Harry shuddered, still remembering that horrible night at the Malfoys' ball. "Did you kill him?"

"No, I wanted to but he died in the fire as he left you. I thought you were dead too. You haven't breathed for over an hour."

Harry gaped at him. Had he been dead for that time? 

"We need to get you to a doctor, a surgeon. Maybe they can put your arm back."

"There's no need, Harry. My arm will grow back in a few days."

"Demon magic." Harry nodded. "Severus, when I wasn't breathing or dead or whatever that was, I saw my parents again. We were in a beautiful meadow. But they told me what happened, why they died. Our contract is fulfilled, Severus. You've met your obligations. You've protected me until I found the truth. Now it's time for your reward."

***

"Are you sure, young master?" Severus asked, his mouth salivating at the thought of devouring such a pure soul. Despite all he'd seen and endured, Harry was a pure soul and Severus knew that if it hadn't been for their contract, he would have gone back to that garden one day. But a contract was a contract. Severus had never gone back on one now and he wasn't about to start. He lifted Harry in his one arm and settled him on one of the pews that hadn't burned in the fire. A black raven perched on one of the shattered walls, its caws disturbing the still morning.

"I'll try to be as gentle as possible," Severus said.

Harry shook his head. "No, Severus. Not gentle. Not easy. Etch the pain into me, Severus. Carve the pain of my life into my soul. Make me feel it. I need to feel it."

"As you wish, my lord." Severus knelt down in front of his master and tugged his right-hand glove off with his teeth. He leant forward and eased the eye-patch away from Harry's eye. The pentagram looked duller than usual, maybe because the contract was about to be fulfilled now.

Severus closed his eyes, preparing himself for what he was about to do. His young master was so brave! He would make a fine feast indeed and Severus could delay the moment no longer.

He leaned forward; his lips open as he sought out Harry's mouth. Severus paused, sniffed the air in front of Harry's breath and blinked. Something wasn't right. There was no scent at all from Harry's body.

"Harry?" he asked, but there was no answer from his master. The person sitting on that wooden pew wasn't Harry. The person sitting there wasn't Severus' young master. It was Harry's body, but that's all it was. An empty shell. A shell that breathed, but it was one without animation or volition.

Someone had already taken Harry's soul.

The raven cawed once more and flew away.


	21. Chapter 21

**Part 21**

Like he had done every morning for the past six months, Severus opened the curtains and pretended that Harry was just sleeping. Harry breathed, his chest rising and falling with every inhalation and exhalation, but his eyes were blank and unseeing. If he could hear when Severus or the other staff talked to him, Harry gave no sign of it. His body was alive, but the spark that made him Harry was gone and Severus was no nearer to discovering who the culprit was or how to get Harry's soul back. Harry couldn't eat, couldn't expel waste in the normal way, so Severus used spells to give him nourishment and take away his bodily waste.

As he did every morning, Severus gave Harry a sponge bath and after that he massaged Harry's arms, legs and other muscles so they wouldn't atrophy. Severus felt no arousal during his tender care of Harry's body, for this wasn't really Harry, wasn't really Severus' human. He needed Harry's vitality, not just his body, not just his flesh.

Severus had just finished dressing Harry and setting him down upon his pillows when there was a knock on the bedroom door. The staff knew better than to disturb Severus while he was caring for Harry, so whatever it was it must be important. Severus smoothed Harry's hair away from his forehead and went to answer the bedroom door.

Arthur Weasley stood there, twisting his hands nervously. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Mr. Severus, but Lady Hermione is here and she's brought a doctor with her."

Severus didn't want to diminish the man's hope, but the truth was that no amount of doctoring could bring Harry back to them. Only reuniting Harry's soul with his body could do that.

"Very well, please show them up."

While he waited, Severus made sure Harry was presentable by brushing his hair, putting on his eye patch and making his clothes wrinkle free with magic. Arthur had left the bedroom door open, but Lady Hermione knocked on the frame, she was too polite to venture into any room without an invitation. Severus glanced up from his perusal of Harry and nodded to the two women at the door.

"Lady Hermione, please come in."

"Thank you, Severus. This is Doctor Poppy Pomfrey, I've been working with her at the women's hospital and we got to talking about Harry. She wants to see if she could help."

The doctor was dressed in a long skirt of pale blue with a jacket to match, a lacy blouse with a high collar peeking beneath the jacket. Her hat was navy with pale blue feathers sticking out the left hand side. She had a black medical bag with her and had the air of someone who was used to being obeyed and stood no nonsense. Dr. Pomfrey held out her hand for Severus to shake, which he did. Her grip was firm and strong, inspiring confidence; even if Severus knew that she wouldn't be able to help.

"So this is our patient, eh?" Pomfrey marched over to the bed and set her bag down beside Harry. "He's been like this for over six months, Hermione tells me."

"Yes, that is correct," said Severus as the doctor removed a stethoscope from her bag. She twirled it round her neck before undoing two of Harry's shirt buttons. Severus fisted his hands by his side, feeling the possessive jealousy flare up as the doctor placed the instrument on Harry's bare skin. The spark that was Harry may have been gone, but it was still Harry's body there on the bed and Severus didn't want anyone else to touch him, even if she was a doctor.

"Could you lift him up and hold him for me, Severus?" asked the doctor. Severus was quick to oblige. Dr. Pomfrey placed the stethoscope on Harry's back, then back to his chest again.

"Well, his heart and lungs are strong, nothing wrong there. Does he have any pain reflexes at all?"

"I don't know, I've never tried to hurt him," said Severus truthfully. Would a human body react to pain if the soul was no longer within it? Severus didn't know and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. He didn't want Harry in pain. Not like this.

Pomfrey rummaged in her black bag and removed a box of pins, something that wouldn't have looked out of place in a lady's embroidery kit. She saw Severus looking askance at them. "Don't worry, Severus. The pins are sterile; I just want to see Harry's reaction. It shouldn't damage him at all."

"Very well, please proceed," said Severus, willing himself to stay and watch when what he really wanted to do was snatch the pin from the doctor's hand and chase everyone away from the room. It was Severus who had cared for Harry's body these past six months. It was Severus who read to Harry every day, hoping that somewhere deep inside he could still hear Severus' voice. It was Severus who washed and bathed him, who looked after him and now the doctor seemed to want to usurp his place. Hermione was hanging on the doctor's every word.

The doctor pressed the pin on the back of Harry's hand. No reactions at all, not even an eyelid flicker. Harry just lay there, as unresponsive as ever. Pomfrey tried again, pressing the pin on each of Harry's hands, his forehead and even the soles of his feet. She pursed her lips and put the pin away.

"Hmm," said Pomfrey as she closed the clasp of her bag. "I've seen patients in comas before, but they usually have some reaction to painful stimulus, but Harry is not responding to anything. His lungs and heart are working well. Except for the fact that he is not waking up, he seems to be in perfect health. There's not a lot medicine can do for him at this stage. It's just a case of wait and see, I'm afraid. Patients have woken up, so don't lose hope, Hermione. I know how much your cousin means to you."

"Thank you, Doctor Pomfrey. I appreciate you taking time to do this."

"No trouble at all, my dear. I'll see you at the hospital later."

Severus thought it was very astute of the doctor to realise that Hermione wanted to spend some time with Harry without even mentioning it. It was unusual that humans could sense things so clearly. "Let me see you out," said Severus, keeping up with his duties even though his young master wasn't there to witness it.

When he returned, Hermione was sitting in the chair nearest the window, that day's newspaper open on her lap, but she was just staring at it, not reading it.

"May I get you some refreshment, Lady Hermione?"

"No thank you, Severus. I just wanted to stay with Harry for a bit, if that's all right."

"Of course, you're always welcome here, you know that." Indeed, it was true. Hermione was a bright, intelligent young woman who did seem to care for her cousin, unlike the Dursleys who had been visiting with increasing frequency hoping for the news of Harry's death soon like the vultures they were.

"And how are your parents?" Severus asked, trying to make small talk.

"My mother is fine. I don't know about my father. They've split up, Mother is staying in town and Father has retreated to the country. I haven't seen him for months, not when I knew it was his fault that Harry is like this. I can't believe he would betray his nephew to those vile people!" The paper on Hermione's lap shook with the force of her anger. "There won't be a divorce, Mother doesn't want the scandal, but they will be living separate lives from now on. She can't even look at him, neither can I."

"They threatened your father with kidnapping you instead if he didn't give them Harry."

"That's still no excuse! He should have gone to the police or something, not given in to blackmail! And then to pretend to Harry that I _had_ been abducted, it was despicable and I want nothing to do with him."

"That is up to you, of course, Lady Hermione."

Hermione may have been blaming her father for Harry's predicament, but Severus couldn't get rid of his own guilt at the situation. He hadn't even sensed that Lockhart was at the abbey, never mind the other demon who had stolen Harry's soul. More to the point, _how_ was he able to steal Harry's soul? A contract between human and demon was sacrosanct. There was no way a demon should have been able to steal a contracted soul. It should have been impossible - unless. Severus could have kicked himself for his own stupidity, he should have realised it when his arm regenerated.

His new arm was perfect, unblemished. Therein lay the problem. His new arm was not marked with the sign of his and Harry's contract. When the angel Lockhart had severed his arm, their contract must have been severed too. Was Lockhart's attack a ruse to allow the other demon to steal Harry's soul in that moment? The question still remained, why?

A demon could not devour a non-contracted soul, which is what gave Severus hope that Harry could be restored to his former self. Without a contract, a demon could do little with a human soul besides store it, but for what purpose? Why would a demon even want to store Harry's soul?

Hermione glanced down at the newspaper in her lap and smiled softly. "Oh, this will amuse you, Harry. Draco Malfoy has got married and it wasn't to me after all. I'd love to have seen you in your dress. I bet you looked prettier in it than I would. Pink doesn't suit me at all."

Severus was surprised Harry had even confided in his cousin about his adventure in a dress, for Harry had seemed very uncomfortable about it.

Hermione read out the wedding notice, putting on an even more elegant voice than usual.

"The bride, Pansy Parkinson was resplendent in a blue silk gown with a bouquet of roses and gardenias. Viscount Malfoy wore a deep blue morning suit and the blue diamond ring he's been wearing since his father's death, perhaps a family heirloom. The couple will spend their honeymoon on a tour of Europe and will then return to the Viscount's estate in Wiltshire." Hermione glanced up at Severus. "Blue diamond? Aren't those very rare? The only person I've ever seen with one was Uncle James and then Harry."

"Indeed," said Severus. "And Harry's ring has been missing since that night at the abbey."

"But how would Draco Malfoy have got hold of Harry's ring? Didn't Lucius Malfoy die that night? He couldn't have given it to Draco."

No, the elder Malfoy couldn't have given the ring to Draco, but a demon that’d been under Lucius Malfoy's control, and perhaps now was under Draco's, could. Diamond was an excellent receptacle for human souls, being a natural substance and a ring was small enough to be carried unobtrusively.

Small enough to be carried in a raven's beak.


	22. Chapter 22

**Part 22**

Severus glanced around his room at the manor one last time, but he knew that everything was in its place and everything was as it should be. He had left extensive notes for the rest of the staff and he knew they would look after the manor well in his and Harry's absence. Severus had told the elder Weasleys that Hermione had arranged for Harry to see a specialist in London and that they would be staying at the townhouse. It was a lie, of course, there was no specialist able to help Harry in London and they weren't even going to London at all, they were going to Wiltshire. 

Severus lifted the suitcase with its precious cargo and left the manor with an almost inaudible 'pop'.

***

Draco Malfoy squinted as his bedroom was flooded with daylight, waking him long before he was ready. He had a pounding headache and his stomach was tying itself in knots; he hoped Fenrir hadn't brought breakfast. "I want to sleep," Draco mumbled.

"It's well past noon, viscount. You need to be up."

"And you need to show your master more respect!" snapped Draco. "I'll get up when I'm good and ready and not before!"

Instead of leaving like a proper servant should, Fenrir pulled down the covers of Draco's bed and sneered when he saw the nightshirt soiled with Draco's nocturnal emission. But then, Fenrir was no proper servant, was he? Fenrir's clothing would have put a vagrant to shame. He insisted on wearing the filthy leather coat that he wore when Draco had first met him; despite Pansy's best efforts, he refused to wear the butler uniform provided for him and the last time Pansy had given him a new uniform, he'd set fire to it, almost setting the whole manor house ablaze. His hair was long and matted with filth and Pansy of course had wanted to know why Draco had employed such a person in the household. Draco couldn't tell her the truth, of course. Fenrir wasn't exactly _employed_. Draco had inherited Fenrir along with his father's fortune and his extensive properties.

"Does your wife do so little to satisfy you, my lord?" Fenrir smirked and went to the covered trolley by the window. He lifted a silver dome.

Draco yanked the covers back to hide his shame and blushed. "You know very well she's visiting her parents this month." And Draco was glad of it. He didn't like the way Fenrir had been glancing at his wife lately. Fenrir's eyes always glittered with an unnatural hunger whenever he was in close proximity to Pansy and Draco had to wonder if it was Pansy herself that engendered the hunger or was it the child Pansy had within her womb? Although how Fenrir knew Pansy was pregnant this early was something Draco preferred not to know. He didn't really want to know what devilish powers Fenrir truly had.

Fenrir pretended not to hear him and continued with revealing the breakfast dishes, or was it luncheon since Draco had slept so late? "We have bacon, eggs, devilled kidneys, oxtail soup and tripe."

The smell of the tripe set Draco to gagging. He rushed to his dressing room and threw up in the basin which would normally have held hot water for his morning wash, but today the water wasn't there. It wasn't the first time Fenrir had not completed his normal duties in a timely fashion. Draco was getting fed up with it, but until he had his revenge, he had to put up with him. Any other servant who'd been so lax in their duties would have been turned away without references. 

Draco wiped his mouth on a towel and returned to the bedroom. 

"You've been drinking too much wine again, my lord," Fenrir said. "You have a weak constitution, just like all the Malfoys before you. Too much inbreeding."

"You will not speak to me like that or I'll have you whipped!"

Fenrir laughed. "Really, my lord? You know your threats are no good against me. Nothing a mere human could do can harm me. Now, what will you be eating today?"

"I'm not hungry. Clean up in there and bring me hot water."

"As the master wishes." Fenrir sketched a bow, smirking the whole time and Draco wanted to slap it from his face. It seemed their bargain was very one-sided. He'd thought, wrongly it turned out, that with the family contract, Fenrir would obey his every whim. But Fenrir only obeyed when it suited and even the other servants were beginning to gossip about the butler. Draco realised now why his father had dismissed the other servants so frequently. Fenrir was the only one who stayed for any length of time and he knew he could get away with murder.

Draco lifted the blue diamond ring from his bedside table, watching enraptured at the swirling white smoke within it. Harry Potter's soul. The person who Draco held responsible for his father's death and Fenrir had stolen Potter's soul for him. But what was the point of that? He could do nothing with the soul, it was just _there_ , a reminder that Harry Potter's body still existed, that Harry bloody Potter still existed. Even all the papers were filled every day with worry over the Earl's strange malady, but what about his father, hmm? There had been a small obituary about Lucius Malfoy on the back pages of the times and even stronger hints that he had been involved in something unsavoury going on at that abbey. The police had been haunting Malfoy manor ever since his father's death and Draco was heartily sick of all of it. All of it was that damned Potter's fault! All of it!

"I want him destroyed utterly," Draco said. "Everything dear to him, I want him to lose it. His factories, his companies, his friends, his relatives. Anyone and anything dear to him, destroy them all. And then, once he's alone and with nothing, then I'll let him know who did this to him. Just before you kill him for good."

"My lord, there are complications," said Fenrir. "Harry Potter too has a contract with a demon. An Incubus with tremendous power."

"But wasn't it destroyed in the battle at the abbey?"

"Perhaps, there's no way to know for sure. They may have forged another."

"How? Wouldn't Potter have to be conscious for that?"

"Harry Potter's soul is still intact, my lord. He would still be able to visit the in-bewtween. There would still be the option for his soul to make contact with the demon again and begin another contract."

"Is that why you can't destroy this soul? There is still a contract in place?"

"Perhaps. I do not know. I only know that this soul cannot be destroyed be me or any other demon that doesn't have a contract with it. But I will try my best."

"Your best. Hmph," said Draco, tossing him the ring and shuddering. "Put this vile thing in the cellar, I don't want to look at it." 

"Very good, my lord."

***

Severus pulled his collar up and trudged on through the afternoon rain. The cloud cover was so heavy that it could have been night rather than afternoon. Thunder rumbled overhead and lightning forked across the sky in a purple arc as he caught his first sight of Malfoy Manor. It was a large four-storey house, much bigger than Harry's manor house and the grounds were extensive, gardens, woods and meadows all surrounded the golden sandstone. All the windows were lit due the worsening weather.

Severus glanced down at the suitcase by his side and marched up to the door. A silver serpent's head acted as door knocker. Severus gave it three good, hard raps before the door was opened. Both demons recognised what the other was instantly, their nostrils flaring and their eyes flashing red at each other.

"Who is it Fenrir?" came a whiny voice from inside the hallway.

"An unexpected guest, my lord."

"I'm not expecting anyone." The owner of the voice, the new Viscount, Draco Malfoy emerged to stand next to Severus could only assume was a demon butler. But this butler took no care in his appearance or the appearance of the manor. His clothes were dirty and stained, his hands filthy (for he wore no gloves, Severus repressed a shudder), his hair matted and greasy. What little of the hallway Severus could see was covered with dust and grime. Severus would never let the staff get away with such shoddy workmanship at Harry's houses. But then, Draco Malfoy wasn't Harry.

"Who are you?" Draco demanded haughtily.

"Just a traveller caught in the storm and hoping to partake of your hospitality while it eases. If it isn't too much trouble."

"Fenrir, show him to the dining room. There's some luncheon left, isn't there? I do not want to be disturbed."

Fenrir opened the door and Severus followed him to the dining room, another room that looked in need of a good clean. Draco followed them in and sat down at the head of the table, slumping in his chair like a sack of potatoes. It was like he had no care for his appearance, or for anything really.

Fenrir went to the serving dishes and slopped some mystery grey meat, potatoes and gravy onto a plate and set it down in front of Severus and stood back, as if waiting to be praised for his efforts. Severus made no move to eat any of it.

"Aren't you hungry?" queried Draco.

"It's not that. Does your butler always give your guest dirty plates and cutlery?"

"What?" Draco flushed and bounded out of his seat to take a look at Severus' plate and underwear. Severus pointed the stains on the plate and lifted up the knife and fork, both sticky with dried residue of some sort.

Draco lifted up the plate and threw it against the wall, gravy and mashed potatoes sliding down it. It did little for the ambience of the room. "This is unacceptable!" Draco roared. "You're a hopeless butler! You're useless! I wish you'd never met my grandfather!"

"If I hadn't met your grandfather, you wouldn't even exist," said Fenrir with a sneer. "Abraxas Malfoy was infertile and he wanted an heir so badly that he treated with me to get one. Just the one. All Malfoys after him will only ever have one child and I will be tied to the Malfoy line for all eternity, that was our bargain and you cannot break it."

"I hate you! I hate you!" Draco stamped his foot and seemed as if he was about to burst into angry tears at any minute.

"As much as you hate Harry Potter and his demon?" Fenrir asked calmly.

"What?"

"He's sitting right there. The demon."

Draco whirled around and stared at Severus with wide eyes. "Don't be ridiculous! He can't be a demon! He's handsome and well turned out. Demons are all ugly and dirty, like you."

"Some demons do take care of their appearance, Master Malfoy. Most do, in fact. It's Fenrir here who's an aberration. I am indeed a demon and I have come to retrieve my master's soul."

"Well you can't have it! Fenrir, kill him!" Draco ordered.

Severus struggled not to laugh. Fenrir was contemptible enough but to think that Draco thought he even had a chance against Severus was absurd. Quicker than either of them saw, Severus had gathered up all the knives from the table and had Fenrir pinned to the dining room wall by his arms and legs, spread-eagled like some ancient sacrifice.

Fenrir struggled but to no avail. Severus had used some demon magic to drive the knives through Fenrir's clothes and embedded them deeply into the wall. Fenrir wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Draco paled and scooted back until his arse fell flush with the table. "Are you going to kill me?" he asked desperately.

"That depends. Are you going to tell me where my master's soul is?"

Draco glanced at Fenrir. "Tell him where it is!"

"In the cellar," gasped Fenrir. "In a box of Moonflower tea."

Severus lifted his suitcase and smiled at Draco. "There, that wasn't so difficult, was it?"

On his way to the cellar, Severus encountered no one else, no other servants. Was Draco alone here with that mad demon? No wonder the house was in such a state! He clucked his tongue at the state of the place and made his way down the (dusty) cellar steps. As soon as he entered the cellar, he wouldn't even have needed to know which box Harry's soul was in, for Severus felt the pull of it at once.

He lifted the box down, removed the ring and placed it in his pocket. The sooner they were away from Malfoy Manor the better. Severus lifted up the suitcase and made his way to one of the wooded lanes away from the Malfoy lands. He lifted the lid of the suitcase and lifted his master's body out reverently. He settled Harry against the trunk of a tree and then pushed the blue diamond ring onto Harry's thumb.

"Young master, it's time to wake."


	23. Chapter 23

**Part 23**

"Young master, it is time to wake."

Harry's eyes fluttered as he sought out the owner of that voice, but his eyes felt as if they were held down with lead weights. His face was wet. Was he crying? He finally managed to get his eyes opened and realised it was rain, not tears. Severus was looking down at him, his eyes dark and hooded, but he had a ready smile for Harry.

"Severus," Harry mumbled and tried to move, but he flopped back against the tree he was leaning against.

"Are you hurt? Are you injured, my lord?" asked Severus.

"No. Nothing like that. I just feel a bit weak." Harry glanced around him, noting the trees and the fields. "Is this what Hell is like, then? I thought it would be warmer. Not so wet."

Severus chuckled. "No, my lord, this is Wiltshire."

"What happened, Severus? The last thing I remember is asking you to devour my soul. Why didn't you? You fulfilled your contract with me, Severus. I wasn't going to renege on it."

"I know, young master, but there were complications."

"Complications? That's an interesting way to put it," said a stranger who had just appeared out of thin air to stand next to Severus. He was dressed in a three-piece suit, a watch chain dangling from his waistcoat. His hair was long and brown, tied back at the nape of his neck and he glanced at Severus disdainfully. "A demon, I might have guessed."

"Who are you?" Harry asked, struggling to sit up straight, but his limbs felt like wet bread.

"Rufus Scrimgeour, Grim Reaper, Head of the Mislaid Souls department."

"You're the Grim Reaper?" Harry asked, trying and failing to control his mirth as he giggled behind his hand.

"Don't be ridiculous! There are far too many humans dying every day for there only to be one Reaper. We need as many hands as we can get. Unfortunately that means we don't always get the best quality candidates for the job." Scrimgeour removed a black notebook from his pocket and flipped back through the pages. "Ah, that explains it. You were meant to die over six months ago, Mr. Potter, but it appears that your soul has been astray for those six months. I knew Stan Shunpike shouldn't be sent on that assignment on his own! Never mind, you're here now and we can get on with things."

"What do you mean?" demanded Severus, placing himself in front of Harry.

"He has to die," said Scrimgeour calmly as if he had just invited Harry to tea. "I'm here to collect his soul. Let's get it done quickly and then I can start on the paperwork. Do you know how much paperwork there is when a soul is mislaid for six months?" 

"You can't take my soul. It's promised to Severus," Harry pointed out.

"Ah, you did indeed have a contract with this _creature_ ," said Scrimgeour disdainfully, "but I'm afraid that once his arm was lost, the contract became null and void and your soul is now the property of the Grim Reaper office until such time as we see fit what to do with it."

"You won't take him!" Severus protested. "I will not allow it!"

"It is not a case of what you will allow, _demon_. You too are bound by the same laws that govern us and you cannot have a soul that you have no contract with. This soul is ours and there is nothing you can do about it."

"I'll make a new contract," said Harry. "I offer my soul to you, Severus. I want you to have it."

Scrimgeour pulled a face. "You would willingly enter into another contract with this - this _thing_?"

"He's not a thing!" protested Harry. "He's my butler and it's my choice to give him my soul if I want, isn't it?" Harry had no idea how these things worked, but he hoped that was the case.

"It is, if that is your wish."

"It is," Harry said firmly.

"Very well. On your own head be it." Scrimgeour snapped his fingers and disappeared as quickly as he had come.

Harry smiled shyly up at Severus. "Well, Severus. Don't you want your reward?" Harry held out his arms and closed his eyes. He opened them a few moments later when he realised Severus hadn't moved any closer to him. "Severus?"

Severus knelt down on the grass beside Harry and lunged at him, kissing Harry desperately. "Severus?"

"I cannot do it, Harry. I cannot take your soul. I don't want you to die."

"We all die sometime, Severus."

"You don't understand. Harry, when most people die, they live on in the afterlife in some capacity. When a demon or angel devours your soul, you don't - you cease to exist at all. There will be nothing left of you. I cannot bear to lose you to nothingness! Don't ask this of me, Harry. Please."

"What are you saying, Severus?" Harry hardly dared hope, but hope he did.

Severus paused, as if he was struggling to get the words out. "I have never — I have never felt this way about anyone before, Harry. You are more than my bound master. I — I love you and I cannot bear to spend eternity without you. You destroy me, Harry." 

Harry kissed him and pulled back with tears in his eyes. "I love you too, Severus. I want to be with you always, but how can we? You're a demon, I'm human. I'll die eventually."

"There is a way for humans and demons to be together, Harry. But you would have to agree to become my consort. After that there is a ritual to be performed, where you would sacrifice your virginity to me. We would be bound together for eternity after that, for you would become my consort and as such you will be granted immortality as my spouse. You would not grow old, you would not get sick, and you would not be able to be harmed in any way except the same way as a demon could. Wounds from gold blades may kill you."

"Would I be a demon too?" Harry asked softly, wondering if he would have to go around claiming and devouring souls.

"No, you would be a demon-consort; you would not be a demon yourself. Demon-consorts are never demons, two demons could not be with each other for eternity that way, they'd just end up killing each other. They are too territorial."

"Is that why you've never taken my virginity before now?" Harry asked, for at times he thought he could sense that Severus wanted that but was holding back.

"Indeed, just taking you once that way would mean you would become my consort. You are so young yet, Harry. I want you to think about this, truly think about it. It is not something to be done lightly."

Harry nodded. "I know, Severus. But I love you and I want us to be together. I want to be your consort if you'll have me."

"You need time to think about this, Harry. We will wait and if this is still something you would wish, ask me again on your sixteenth birthday."

"You want me to wait for two years?" Harry asked incredulously.

"What's two years in the face of eternity?" Severus asked, grinning down at him. "And actually, it's more like a year and a half. But, yes, I do want to wait and let you have time to think this through. I won't lie to you, Harry, but it will be difficult. We will both feel the pull of desire drawing us together ever closer and we will want to be together that way, but we can't be. Not yet. Not until you're absolutely sure."

"I'm already sure," Harry protested.

"Are you? Do you realise what you will have to give up? You would no longer be able to live a normal life. As you will not age, you will have to leave your family, all your acquaintances, anyone who knows you. You will have to keep moving from place to place so that people do not become suspicious of the young man in their midst who hasn't aged a day. You may make friends only to have to leave them again."

"I've never really had any friends," Harry said softly. "But you're right; I'd miss Hermione and Aunt Jane. I wouldn't miss the Dursleys; they wouldn't care where I went, as long as they had some claim on the estate. I don't want them to have it, Severus. They've always hated me and I don't think they should get a penny of my family's money. Is there any way I can stop them getting hold of it when I leave?"

"I don't know, Harry. You would need to consult a lawyer for that. Perhaps you could leave it in trust to Hermione or her future children? I think she would do good works with it, she might even turn the manor into another hospital for the poor."

"And if I left everything to Hermione, she wouldn't need to get married if she didn't want to. She'd be free to choose her own path. It would be good to leave knowing that she was looked after."

"Something else to think about."

"Thank you, Severus, but I think I've done enough thinking for today. Let's go home."

"As you wish, young master."


	24. Chapter 24

**Part 24/**

Harry was awake long before Severus came in to wake him, his night restless with tossing and turning, thinking about what he was about to do. It was Harry's sixteenth birthday and tonight, Severus was finally going to make him his consort. After that, there would be no going back to being the Earl of Godric's Hollow.

Severus had tried to deter him few times, but Harry was determined. This was what he wanted. Yes, he would miss Hermione and Aunt Jane terribly, but with Harry's new will signed and sealed in the London office of his solicitors, Harry knew they would be well looked after. Hermione would get the bulk of the estate, including all properties, monies and controlling shares in all the Potter toy and confectionery businesses. 

There were a few stipulations Harry had made in his will, but he knew Hermione would follow his wishes. Bill Weasley had shown a fantastic head for figures and recently Harry had made him the president of both companies and Harry wanted him to remain in that role. He also left stipulations that all the Weasleys would be continued to be employed at the manor house unless they wished to leave of their own accord. Harry doubted they would, Hermione and the Weasleys got on really well, so well in fact that Harry was sure Charlie Weasley might one day propose marriage. Aunt Jane, disillusioned with her own marriage to Uncle Rupert, would not stand in their way. She and Molly Weasley had become firm friends. Everyone would be provided for, giving Harry some much needed peace of mind.

Tomorrow, he and Severus would be leaving for Europe, with Harry telling everyone he was finally embarking on the Grand Tour. A few months away and Harry Potter would have an unfortunate accident, drowning perhaps, with the body never recovered and his will could be read. Everything was well in hand, but Harry still couldn't seem to settle. It was a big step, one he wasn't sure he would ever be ready for, but he knew he wanted to do it regardless. He wanted eternity with Severus and if he had to give up his life as an earl, give up his remaining family, then he would do it.

Severus pulled back the curtains and tied them back, the demon butler efficient as always, but today there was no trolley with a waiting breakfast. Hermione and Aunt Jane had stayed overnight, ready for Harry's birthday celebrations and they would all breakfast together in the dining room.

“Your guests are already up, young master.”

“Thank you, Severus. Just a quick wash and shave before I dress, then.”

Harry stretched and yawned, closing his eyes and clasping a hand over his mouth. When he opened his eyes again, he noticed Severus staring at him, Severus' eyes glimmering red. The sexual need emanating from Severus was almost a physical entity on its own and Harry felt his own face flush and his groin harden almost instantly.

“You are delectable, my lord. I can hardly wait to claim you as mine.”

“I am yours, Severus. I've been yours for years. You shouldn't tease me so. How am I supposed to greet my guests like this?” Harry pushed down the bedclothes so that Severus could see the tented nightshirt. Harry's whole body was aflame, lost in Severus' deep gaze.

“I see your predicament, young master. As your butler is my duty to have you fully prepared to meet your guests. You must allow me to assist.”

“Please!” Harry groaned, his hips arching, thrusting into empty air, his hands scrabbling at the bedclothes.

Severus smiled at him and prowled towards Harry's bed, as always impeccably dressed and not a hair out of place. Most of the time Harry's hair looked as though he'd just made his way through a patch of brambles. Even Severus' demon magic could nothing to tame Harry's hair. Severus had told him often that he loved the wildness of Harry's curls, so unlike his own sleek style.

Severus knelt on the bed, his legs on either side of Harry's shins and Harry shivered in anticipation. What was Severus going to do? They didn't have much time, so Harry knew Severus wasn't going to take his virginity this morning, but there were plenty of other ways Severus knew how to give him pleasure.

For the first time in their association, Harry noticed that despite his own arousal, Severus wasn't hard. There was no answering erection tenting Severus' trousers.

“Severus?” Harry asked, waving to his butler's groin.

“I have taken a libido dampening potion, my lord. For me to claim you tonight, it is best if I do not come until I am inside you. The bonding magics work best that way. Not that I won't enjoy what we do, there just won't be physical evidence of it.”

“I see,” said Harry, glad that they wouldn't be stopping quite yet.

“What would you like today, young master? It is your birthday after all and I think you should get to choose.”

“Oh,” Harry moaned. “I'd like – would you – would you use your mouth on me, Severus? I love that.”

“I would love to taste you, my lord. It is one of my favourites as well.” Severus, still wearing his gloves, pushed Harry's nightshirt up and bunched it around his waist. He caressed Harry's cock from root to tip, making Harry moan and buck into the contact.

“I love how sensitive you are to my touch,” said Severus, before he lowered his head and took all of Harry's cock in his mouth. 

“Severus!” Harry wailed, grasping handfuls of Severus' hair as the pleasure claimed him. Severus knew just how to toy with him and tease Harry almost beyond endurance, but he never denied Harry a climax, just delayed it. Today was different though, they had guests waiting in the dining room and they both knew this wasn't the time for leisurely explorations. That was for tonight, when everyone had gone home and Severus would finally claim Harry as his. Just imagining it sent another jolt of bliss through Harry and he thrust into Severus' mouth, desperate to come soon. His balls felt full and heavy; Severus fondled them with his hand, a finger dipping lower, caressing his perineum. The extra stimulus was too much.

Harry shrieked, “AHH! Ahh! Sev'rus! Sev'rus!” Suddenly he was there, coming in copious spurts down Severus' throat. Severus swallowed and swallowed, but Harry saw some streaks of white dribbling down Severus' chin and seeing that almost made him pass out with sudden heat, his cock hardening once more. “Kiss me,” Harry demanded. “Oh, God, kiss me!”

Severus was quick to oblige, lying on top of Harry and sharing his taste with him, both of them moaning into each other's mouth. Harry was thrusting up, grinding himself against the hard body of Severus above him and it wasn't long before he spent himself in white-hot heat against Severus' clothes, his whole body trembling in the aftermath. He'd never felt this _abandoned_ before and it was rare for Harry to come so quickly, one after the other like that.

“You're sensing my desire,” said Severus against his ear, nibbling on Harry's skin. “I can hardly wait to make you mine. But we must greet the guests.”

Harry was sorely tempted to forget all about his guests and his birthday party, but he knew he couldn't do it to his Aunt Jane. 

“Yes, I'd better have a very thorough wash,” said Harry, grinning up at Severus.

*

Molly Weasley had outdone herself for breakfast that morning. There were platters of scrambled egg, bacon, devilled kidneys, black puddings, kippers along with a mountain of toast and pots of jam and marmalade.

“Good morning, Harry,” said Aunt Jane from her seat, turning her head sideways so that Harry could kiss her cheek. “And how's the birthday boy today?”

“Very well, thank you. Did you both sleep well?” Harry slid into his seat and filled his plate, feeling rather hungry after his and Severus' exertions that morning.

“Very well,” said Hermione. “Your beds are so soft. I don't know how you can leave it and go gallivanting off around Europe.”

“The Grand Tour is an essential part of any young man's education, Hermione,” said Aunt Jane. “It's about time Harry got to see more of the world than Hampshire and London.

“I wish I could go with you,” said Hermione wistfully and Harry almost choked on his toast. The plan relied on no one else except Severus to be with him. He couldn't very well pretend to drown if Hermione and Aunt Jane were with him.

“You'll have time enough to travel on your honeymoon,” said Aunt Jane. “It wouldn't be proper for a single woman to travel alone, but with a husband in tow no one would pay any remarks.”

“Harry could be my chaperone,” said Hermione.

“No, dear, that wouldn't be suitable. You are each too close in age, it would smack of impropriety, despite there being none. A lady's reputation is a delicate thing, one wrong move and it's ruined.”

“I didn't think you still worried about what other people thought, Mother. You're not worried about being separated from Father.”

“That's different. I don't care what people think of me, but I do care about my only daughter's reputation.”

“So you would object to me marrying Charlie Weasley, since he's not of our class?”

“Stop putting words into my mouth. I don't care who you marry, Hermione, as long as you do in fact get married before you go haring off on any adventures. Has Charlie Weasley approached you with an offer, then?”

“No, not yet,” said Hermione, blushing. “But I think he wants to.”

“Harry, have you any objections to Charlie Weasley marrying Hermione?”

“No, Aunt Jane. I think they'd make a good match.” Harry tucked into the rest of his breakfast, noticing Severus out of the corner of his eye as he topped up everyone's tea or hot chocolate and cleared any used dishes from the table. When Aunt Jane wasn't looking, Severus winked at him and Harry felt his whole body flush. 

God, tonight could hardly come soon enough!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's just one more chapter to go, but I'm having a bit of a block with the ending. Hopefully it will be done soon :)


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter is finally here! Thank you to everyone who has kept reading despite my erratic updates. It's been an adventure with these two, that's for sure :)

Harry didn't know half the people who'd been at his birthday party. Most were friends or acquaintances of his Aunt Jane. Mingling, Harry made polite conversation with them all, but his mind was elsewhere, more precisely on his bedroom where he wished he was right now with Severus. But he smiled in all the right places, said his thank-yous after his presents were opened and admired by the assembled guests. Then it was time for the early supper, cutting the birthday cake and then everyone moved into the ballroom for the remainder of the evening's entertainment.

A string quartet sat in one corner of the room, playing waltzes and foxtrots. Harry still didn't feel he was a very proficient dancer and he smiled as he remembered Severus trying to teach him before they went to the Malfoy house. What was strange was that his Aunt Jane hadn't invited any single, eligible women to throw in Harry's path. They were all older matrons like his aunt, or the ones that were younger and already had husbands.

Harry and Hermione were sitting down on a set of chairs by the wall, watching the other dancers after dancing together themselves. "I'm surprised Aunt Jane hasn't invited every spinster in the county to try and get me hitched at long last."

"Well she won't be doing that any longer, will she?" asked Hermione, as she sipped at her fruit punch.

"Why ever not?"

"Because she knows your interests don't lie that way." Hermione blushed and brushed at her gown, although there was no fluff to remove.

"What do you mean?"

"Harry, you're not interested in women. It's pretty obvious, but you'll have to be so careful. I don't know what I'd do if you ever got arrested!"

"So you both know?" Harry asked, feeling his heart flutter like a trapped bird against his ribs.

"It's more common than you might think, or so Mother told me. A confirmed bachelor living with his valet or butler as his companion is not remarked upon. People know it goes on, but as long as it isn't flaunted in their faces, there will be no reports to the authorities. Things are a bit more relaxed in Europe, I hear, so you and Severus should have a lovely time."

Harry choked on his fruit punch. "You know? About me and Severus?"

"I've known for a while, Harry. I've seen the way you look at each other when you think no one else can see. You both look as if the other is the sun, the moon and stars combined."

"Severus looks like that at me?" Now, _that_ did surprise Harry. Severus rarely mentioned love and when he did, it was part of something else. _I love the way you taste. I love the way you smile._ But rarely had Severus professed any I love yous.

"He does. He's madly in love with you, Harry and I hope the two of you are very happy together. It's such a pity you can't marry each other, silly stupid laws. Any two people in love should be able to get married."

"You don't disapprove?" Harry arched his eyebrow at her. While not exactly prudish, he thought Hermione would have been one to obey the law and not exhort Harry to break it.

"Of course not. I'm just worried about your safety. Not everyone is open-minded. Just promise me you'll be careful not to give yourselves away."

"We'll try our best, Hermione." Harry reached across the chairs and squeezed her in a hug. "You don't know how much this means to me."

*

Severus wandered the party, making sure that every guest was attended to, that they had sufficient food and drinks, but his eyes never strayed far from his young master. Harry looked every inch the young nobleman tonight and Severus stifled a smirk; of course he did, Severus had made sure of that by picking his outfit like he always did. Tonight, Harry was wearing a dark blue suit of crushed velvet, setting off the sliver waistcoat and cravat. Severus could hardly tear his eyes away. Harry looked good enough to eat and Severus smiled to himself. Later, Severus would get to taste him and he wished the party would hurry up and wind down. The guests, however, seemed in no hurry to leave.

Severus watched as Harry danced with his cousin and a few of the older matrons, he even partnered his Aunt Jane at one stage. He shook his head smiling, noting that Harry still wasn't a proficient dancer and stepped on his partner's toes more than once. The women all smiled at his blushing apologies, their faces flushed from too much champagne, or perhaps it was because they had been dancing in the arms of a handsome young man, even though nothing else would come of it. Propriety had to be observed, in public at least.

But at long last, the grandfather clock in the hall chimed midnight and then people were waiting for their cloaks and hats, saying their thank-yous to Aunt Jane and Harry himself. Severus and the Weasleys sorted out everyone's belongings in short order and Severus saw each guest to the front door and helped those who needed it into their carriages, whether they were inebriated from the party or infirm due to age.

Harry waved at his departing guests and as the last carriage rounded the driveway, he glanced at Severus, looking up from lowered lashes. "I think I shall have a bath before bed, Severus."

"Very well, my lord. I shall attend to you shortly."

*

Harry was already undressed and bathing himself before Severus appeared in the bathroom. Severus stared at him with such heat that Harry felt warmer than the bath water.

"Starting without me, my lord? You know one of my duties is to clean you _thoroughly_." Severus knelt down by the side of the bath and removed the sponge from Harry's hand. He dropped it on the floor, before tugging his gloves off with his teeth. Harry's breath hitched. There was something so erotic about Severus' gloves; Harry had always been enamoured of them and he watched avidly while Severus removed them. Severus lifted the bar of lavender soap and rubbed it between his hands until it had a lather. "Turn around," said Severus and Harry wasted no time in obeying that command.

Once he was facing the other way, Severus began to wash his neck and back with the bar of soap. Soon though, he dropped the soap and continued with just his hands. Harry's cock hardened in the water, both at what Severus was doing to him and with anticipation of what else might happen tonight. Tonight, they wouldn't need to hold back. Severus would fully claim him, finally. Harry felt that they'd had years of foreplay and he was ready for much more. More than ready. Nervous too, if he was being completely honest.

"Severus." Harry angled his head. "Will it hurt? You know when you – when you take me?"

"I will not lie to you, Harry. There will be some pain, but I intend to prepare you well so that the pain will be minimal.

"Prepare me? How?"

"With fingers, lips and tongue."

 _With tongue?_ Dear Lord, did Severus mean what Harry thought he meant? That he would put his tongue _there_? Harry had never imagined such a thing. Had never dreamt that such a thing even existed. His whole body flushed and his cock jerked against his abdomen at just the thought.

"I – I think I'm done with the bath, now," said Harry, his voice a hoarse rasp.

"Very well, my lord." Severus leant over the bath and scooped Harry up in his arms. Harry clung to his neck, his heart thudding erratically against his ribcage, his cock standing to attention like a flag pole. Severus saw and smirked. Harry blushed and hid his head against Severus' shoulder. Harry was sill wet from the bath, but Severus didn't seem to mind if his clothes got wet.

They reached the bedroom and Harry saw that fresh white towels were laid out on the covers of his four-poster bed. Severus set him down upon one and began to dry him. No, that wasn't quite right. Severus caressed him with the towels. This was no mere perfunctory drying of skin. Severus wielded the towels like instruments of seduction and Harry was soon lost in a haze of sensation.

Severus started with drying his feet, running the towel along the sole and between each toe individually. Normally Harry's feet were so ticklish that he couldn't bear anything near them for any length of time. But not tonight, not when he was aroused. The sensation was different when he was aroused.

Once Harry's feet were dry to Severus' satisfaction, he trailed the towels up and down Harry's lower legs and thighs. Harry widened his legs without thought, but Severus ventured nowhere near his groin and erect cock. Not yet. Harry was being teased almost beyond endurance. His balls were heavy and aching between his legs and his cock was so hard it was standing almost vertical to his body.

"Please! Oh, please!" Harry begged, clutching at the bedclothes beneath him.

"Is there something I can help you with, young master?" Severus' eyes glinted red as he smirked down at his charge.

"Touch me," Harry pleaded.

"I am touching you," Severus pointed out as he caressed Harry's chest with the towel.

"Not like that. You know what I mean!" Oh, Severus could be so aggravating sometimes.

Severus dropped the towel on the floor and caressed Harry's chest with his bare hands, tweaking Harry's nipples until they stood up in little peaks. "Is this better, my lord?"

Harry nodded, beyond breath for words at the moment. Severus teased him for a little longer, twisting and pulling on his nipples, skating his fingers down Harry's sides to his hips, but venturing nowhere near his cock. Precome dripped in a steady stream onto his abdomen and Harry felt sure he might come from this stimulation alone, without even his cock being touched. He felt so on edge already.

"Please, Severus," Harry whimpered, tossing his head from side to side on the pillow.

"Very well, young master. Turn over."

Harry scrambled to turn over and lay flat on his stomach. He hissed when his cock came into contact with the mattress and bed coverings; so much pressure just where he needed it. Harry felt the bed dip as Severus settled between his legs and kneaded his buttocks with firm strokes.

"Your skin is so smooth here, you're like a peach," said Severus hoarsely. "And only I get to see it, get to touch it."

"Only you, Severus. I'm yours," said Harry, knowing how possessive Severus was.

"And I am yours," replied Severus. Harry felt Severus shift on the bed behind him and then he felt a soft breath across the crease of his arse. He gasped in anticipation. Was Severus really going to do that? Lick that most secret part of him? Harry widened his legs, almost an invitation for Severus to do just that.

Severus kissed each thigh, kissed each buttock before he licked from Harry's tailbone right down to his sac. "Ahh!" Harry groaned and arched up from the bed. Severus licked him gently for a few more moments, before he plunged his tongue right inside Harry's hole and swirled it around his inner walls. God, it felt so good! Harry didn't know what he wanted to do first; arch up onto that tongue or press down onto the bed. In the end he tried to do both, bucking his body this way and that as he tried to reach completion.

"Severus! I'm going to come!" Harry wailed desperately and then whined with disappointment when Severus removed his tongue and pressed down hard on the base of Harry's cock, thwarting Harry's orgasm.

"Sorry, young master, but you need to come when I am inside you. When my cock is inside you," Severus clarified. "The magic takes better that way." Severus lifted Harry by the hips and turned him over on the bed.

"We must say the ritual words first and then I will claim you as my mate for eternity, if that is still what you wish?"

"Of course it is," said Harry. "I haven't changed my mind, Severus. I still want this, want you."

"Very well. Do you Harry James Potter agree willingly to become my chosen mate? Do you willingly give me your heart, your soul, your life?"

"I do, Severus. All of it is yours."

Severus' eyes glowed red with power. "Then I accept that which is willingly given. I accept Harry James Potter as my chosen mate forevermore." Severus scratched his wrist and a ribbon of scarlet blood dripped from it. He held his wrist to Harry's mouth. "Accept my blood as our bargain. I will shed my life for you, I will protect you always."

Harry licked the few drops of blood, it tasted tangy and sweet, but he was glad he only had to drink those few drops. Once he'd finished drinking a blue mist settled over both of them before dissipating. "It is done, our bargain is struck. Now, where were we?" asked Severus with a feral grin before leaning down and kissing Harry passionately.

Severus kissed him for a while, before Harry felt Severus' finger press against him, the finger slick with lubrication. Had Severus used some sort of spell for it? For Severus hadn't seemed to reach for anything. It didn't hurt, Harry was already so open and wet from Severus' kisses, but it felt a bit strange. Severus added another finger, two, then three and stretched Harry while he still kissed him.

There was a slight burn with three fingers, but the more Severus stretched him, the more Harry liked it. Then Severus' fingers found something that had Harry arching off the bed and gasping into Severus' mouth. Harry pulled his mouth away from their kissing and looked deep into Severus' eyes.

"Do that again," Harry demanded, and it was a demand.

Severus laughed, low in his throat. "Such a demanding young master I have. Very well." Severus pressed again on that place inside him and Harry let out a soft groan. "I didn't know it would feel so good to have something inside me like that."

"That's the idea," said Severus. "Are you ready for more?"

Harry nodded, glancing longingly at Severus' cock. When had Severus taken his clothes off? It must have been another spell. How different would that thick cock feel compared to delicate fingers? Harry was more than ready to find out. Severus tugged one of the pillows down from the head of the bed and shifted it to place it beneath Harry's hips, lifting his arse that little bit more. Harry blushed, feeling so open displayed like that. Severus was looking at him with such want in his eyes, such _hunger_ and knowing that freed something inside Harry. He felt desirable.

"Please, Severus! Do it!"

"As you wish, my lord," said Severus and this time Harry caught sight of the lubricant that had appeared in Severus' hands, which he slicked over his erection, hissing as he did so. "Tell me if I hurt you." That was all the warning Harry got before Severus pulled his hips wide and pressed his cock against his entrance. Severus took his time, pressing in an inch at a time, as if allowing Harry to get used to the sensation.

Inch by glorious inch, Harry was filled with Severus' thick cock. He mewled and whimpered, gripping the sheets beneath him, his heart beating an erratic rhythm against his chest. He'd never felt this _connected_ to anyone before and he was heady with desire. Soon, Harry could feel Severus' sac right up against his arse and thighs, but Severus wasn't moving. He gazed down at Harry, a smile on his face. "So beautiful, my Harry," he said, his voice a harsh rasp.

"Please, Severus! You can move!"

"As you wish," replied Severus, pushing on Harry's thighs, pushing them up towards his chest so that Harry was almost bent in half.

Harry had expected it to hurt a little, but it wasn't as much as he was expecting. It was more of a sting, a slight burn, rather than anything he would classify as pain. In this position, Severus was completely in control and Harry could do little else but lie on the bed while Severus pounded him into the mattress.

Severus pistoned his hips, faster and faster, his face and chest flushed with either arousal or exertion; Harry wasn't sure which. Harry's cock had softened a little at the first penetration, but it soon firmed up again when Severus touched that magic spot inside Harry once more.

"Ah!" Harry cried, and tried to arch his hips, but he couldn't, not in this position – Severus was holding him too tight for that. Harry wanted to thrust, he needed to thrust, not just lie here like a meek lamb. He wanted to be involved in this too. "Severus, turn over."

Severus arched his eyebrows in question, but he did as Harry asked and lay flat on the bed. His cock had slipped out of Harry as they changed position and Harry almost wailed at the loss. It had felt so good to be filled like that.

Harry scrambled onto his knees and settled either side of Severus' legs. He grabbed Severus' cock in his hand and placed it at his entrance. Harry sank down upon it, a little at a time, until Severus' was fully sheathed in him once more. Harry groaned in desire at the perfection of it. It had been years getting to this moment and there wasn't another one to waste.

Harry controlled the pace this time and Severus allowed him to, grabbing hold of Harry's hips to steady him, not to prevent him from moving. Harry revelled in the sensations. The stretch in his arse, the skin of Severus' body against his own as Harry almost bounced in his pleasure. Harry's cock was hard and aching once more, precome dripping in a steady stream as Harry sought the peak.

Harry could feel Severus' cock almost throbbing inside him and he wanted Severus to come, he wanted to feel the surge of semen splash inside him. Harry groaned at the imagining of it and spurted quite a bit of precome onto Severus' abdomen. "Fuck, Severus! Come, I want to feel you come inside me!"

"There is nothing I wish more, my lord, but I am still an Incubus and you are still largely human. You have to come first." Severus lifted one hand from Harry's hips and grasped hold of Harry's cock.

Oh, God, it was bliss! To have his cock enclosed in a fist, such delicious pressure at the same time as his arse was filled. Severus' hand on his cock was a blur it was moving so fast and Harry realised that as much as he wanted to come, Severus did too but he couldn't until Harry got there first. The tingles started in his toes, then moved up through his body, into his balls and finally his cock.

"Sev'rus! Sev'rus!" Harry screamed in ecstasy, throwing his head back and grabbing hold of Severus' hips. His climax erupted from him in ropes of pearly white, streak after streak staining Severus' chest and chin. Harry's whole body trembled with the force of it, muscles contracting and releasing. He hadn't quite finished coming when he felt Severus' own orgasm start, spilling inside Harry in a rush of wet warmth. Harry squeezed his buttocks together, pulling every last drop that he could from Severus' cock. Severus' hands tightened on Harry's hips, his nails digging into Harry's skin as he rode out the waves of his own climax.

Harry leaned over and kissed him deeply while Severus finished coming. There was so much seed that Harry felt it leaking out of his arse again. Harry had done that. Had made Severus come so much. Harry grinned into their kiss and them pulled away, leaning his forehead against Severus'.

"Wow! I had no idea it would feel like that."

"Wow indeed," said Severus, reaching up and pushing Harry's hair away from his eyes. "You were a natural, Harry. It was as if you'd been born to pleasure me."

"Maybe I have," said Harry, pulling back and chuckling when he realised how sticky they both were. "I think we might need another bath."

"No need." Severus waved his hand and both of them were perfectly clean.

"If you could just clean me with a spell, why have you been bathing me all these years?"

"Why do you think, young master?" Severus smirked.

"You enjoy it?"

"Indeed. Any excuse to get you out of your clothes."

"Severus, I've been thinking." Harry trailed his fingers along Severus' chest.

"A dangerous occupation for you, my lord." Severus grinned at him and Harry couldn't help laughing.

"My parents and ancestors were charged with doing the Royal Family's dirty work, hoping that with all the dangers they faced, they would get killed. One of my ancestors was the illegitimate child of George III and that's why we were always in danger. I'm a direct descendant, as was my father before me. We don't have a legitimate claim, being descended from a bastard, but it would be scandalous to the Crown if the truth was ever known."

"And that's who was behind the attacks on your family?"

"It appears so. I enjoyed the detective work we did, Severus, but I don't want to work for the royals ever again. Would there be a way where we could help ordinary people? Maybe become a consulting detective like Sherlock Holmes?"

"Sherlock Holmes is fictional, young master. I'm not even quite sure what a consulting detective actually does."

"I presume they consult on a case? We have money but I don't want to just wander around Europe on holiday forevermore. I want to do something to help people rather than just give donations. We could be the Phoenix Detective Agency!" Harry was warming to his theme and smiled at Severus. "What do you think?"

"I think it's a good idea, in principle, but we should change the name. We don't want any connection to the Royal Phoenix after all. Perhaps it would be best if we weren't based in England, but perhaps somewhere in Europe or the Americas. Or we could even venture as far as Australia or New Zealand. Somewhere where people won't know you. We would have to move every few years anyway. It would soon become apparent that you and I aren't ageing."

"We could, couldn't we?" asked Harry. "We could go anywhere we want."

"I would go anywhere with you, Harry. Whatever we do, we'll do it together."

"Yes," Harry added, stifling a yawn. He settled his head on Severus' shoulder. "Together, for always."

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> The Cleveland Street brothel did exist and was quite the scandal at the time. I've used the rumour that Jack the Ripper may have been royalty, but it is just that - rumour and conjecture :)


End file.
